


The Devil In Wonderland

by CaptnBeckles



Series: The Devil in Wonderland Chronicles [1]
Category: American McGee's Alice, Devil May Cry
Genre: Bandersnatch - Freeform, Crossover Pairings, Down the rabbit hole, F/M, Jabberwocky - Freeform, Jackpot - Freeform, Mad Girl, Stylish Madness, Unlikely duo, Untimely romance, Vorpal Throwing, Wildflower, World ending Calamity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2018-05-18 05:37:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 68,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5900347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptnBeckles/pseuds/CaptnBeckles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a mysterious and twitching creature walks into Devil May Cry with a ticking pocket watch and a gun, Dante Redgrave is left with no option but to give chase. Little does he know that he’s about to fall down the Rabbit Hole—However, this is no longer the land of tea parties and un-birthdays </p><p>Wonderland was broken. </p><p>And so was she.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dante

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What was originally a humble GaiaOnline roleplay has now given birth or a behemoth tale of madness, blood, sweat tears, and tea parties in abundance. Hold on folks, it's a long and bumpy ride.
> 
> But it's worth it. I promise you.

Pulling out a tarnished pocket watch, the man frowned down at his reflection in its face. This was an unusual form, something he wasn’t entirely used to. After all, in this world, were he to run around as himself—well, it wouldn’t be looked upon all too highly. The last time he’d traveled this realm in this form was for her. That had been so long ago though now and, as much as they’d depended on her in the past—she couldn’t save them now.

At least, not alone.

He didn't have much time. This would have to work and it would have to work fast. He had traveled far to make it to his destination (with more than a few bumps along the way). The Queen had done her research, they had found the target and now it was his job to acquire the person they needed. The mere thought had him shaking with anxiety. He was already a twitchy creature, his nose near constant in it’s movement. This, however, was a whole new level of danger he was putting himself into.

Of course, danger with a purpose was better than lying down and dying. He, like many of the rest of them, had no intention of going down without a fight. They were all depending on him to do his part and so, he would try. Pulling his red jacket tighter around his shivering form, he tried to puff out his chest. He was the one with the upper hand here. He wouldn’t leave until he got his way—or until the target filled him with bullet holes. With a deep breath, he pushed against the grimy door he’d been pacing in front of for the last ten minutes, eager to get this whole ordeal done and over with.

Upon entering the establishment, the smell of stale beer and greasy pizza stung his nostrils. Cigarette smoke hung in the air, a lazy tendril of smoke rising from an ignored ashtray on the desk before him. A large pair of boots were propped up on the desk, leading to a long pair of legs crossed at the ankles. Those legs belonged to his target, a man sitting so that he was balanced on the back two legs of his chair, a magazine draped over his face. Beneath the tattered pages of “Playboy” were strands of silvered hair and a stubbled chin. The target appeared to be asleep but the visitor was positive that appearances were highly deceiving.

After all, he himself wasn’t normally so…human.

Softly, he cleared his throat. Despite his best attempts at being firm and forward, his voice still warbled when he spoke up. "I have a job for you."

The magazine slid down the target’s face revealing a pair of sharp sapphire eyes, a straight nose, and a single raised brow. The target tilted his head slightly as he looked the visitor up and down, a hint of amusement tugging at the right corner of his mouth. He had met a lot of strange people in his life but this guy took the prize. Decked out in some sort of red overcoat with a white tuxedo shirt and black slacks, the guy looked ready to go to some sort of theme party. Instead of looking ready for any amount of fun however, his face was dreadfully serious and…twitching?

Pulling his feet from the desk, he sat the chair back in it’s normal position and leaned forward on his elbows. "A job?” He asked, obviously not able to take the guy before him seriously. “You do know what kind of business I'm in, right?" This guy looked as if he needed a caterer...not a demon hunter.

Hands shaking, the visitor nodded. "Y-Yes...that's why I've c-come here,” he stuttered. He could curse himself for showing such obvious fear. However, his pride had no place in the matter. This man was their target and he couldn’t let something small like fear stand in the way of retrieving him for the Queen.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a small pistol and aimed it at the man behind the desk, pulling the trigger. This probably wasn't the smartest option but it was all he could do. Or, rather, it was all his hands could do. He’d meant to simply point the gun and act as threatening as possible (not an easy task, considering his species), but he’d been shaking so badly at merely holding the weapon that he’d squeezed the trigger. Trembling, he watched as the bullet hit its mark, piercing the target low in his left shoulder. He knew it would get the attention he needed without having to explain more than was necessary. He’d been warned.

_The Hunter is quick to temper. Be careful with your words—but use this to your advantage, if you must._

Doing what he did best, he hopped to his feet and bolted out the door, hoping with all of his heart that the target would chase him. Never had he wanted to be pursued so badly in all of his life but, if this man didn’t follow him, their plan would be a failure.

And truly, believing was so much easier with physical evidence on display.

"The hell...?" Reaching up to touch his shoulder, the Hunter rolled his eyes. Was there a sign on his door that said, 'C'mon in to Devil May Cry...the boss loves to be impaled, shot at, and pummeled'? Or, perhaps it was national ‘Attack Dante Redgrave without giving a Reason’ day. He swore the mayor had written that little holiday into effect years ago. Getting to his feet, he leaned over the desk and grimaced as the bullet fell out of his shoulder, hitting the scarred wood with a soft ‘ping’. A healing factor was great but that didn’t mean it couldn’t hurt like a bitch. There was no way he was letting that twitchy little man get away with shooting him—at least, not without good explanation. Time to give chase.

Running out the door after his attacker (and what a pathetic feeling that was. He’d been attacked by a guy in a fuckin’ tuxedo shirt!), he found it easy to keep up with him. Turning a corner and reaching forward, his fingers just found their grip on the back of the man's collar as he was pulled into what could only be described as a portal. Green and swirling with energy, he didn’t have time to think twice before he was sucked through to the other side.

Landing with a hard thud, his head hit the ground with a crack and the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the man scurrying off into the distance. Through his blurry gaze, eh swore the man had changed though. White ears and a cotton tail…like a rabbit. And it was less of a run as he escaped and more of a…hop. Before he could conjure up anything more brilliant than that, the darkness swamped his mind and he gave in to the loss of consciousness.

When he started to come around, the first thing he noticed was the pounding of his head. Slowly, he slid his hand along the ground until it reached his head. His calloused fingers searched through his silver hair, finding the protruding goose egg and wincing. Pushing himself upright, he forced his eyes open, blinking away the blurriness from his vision as he tried to get a look at his surroundings. “Damned idiot…where’s he led me off to?”

Not that he could _really_ lay blame on the assailant. _He_ was the one who’d given chase, who’d fallen into a portal. It wasn’t the first time he’d gone face first into a big ol’ pile of trouble.

Getting to his feet, Dante looked around, pushing his jagged locks from his eyes. Wherever he had landed, it was looking pretty rundown. The ground beneath him was covered in inches upon inches of dust, the walls barely standing around him. With the toe of his boot, he pushed open the door in front of him, smirking when it fell straight off of it's rusted hinges and smashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust in it's wake.

Walking out of the building, Dante realized he was in a ghost town, all of the buildings equally dilapidated and abandoned. Beyond the village was a wild and overgrown forest, dark enough to even make the Devil take pause. Cautiously, he moved his hands to rest on the grips of his twin pistols. Despite the abandoned look of this place, he’d learned his lesson in the past. It was best never to walk into a situation unarmed.

Scanning the area for signs of life, his gaze hardening as he caught sight of something white and fluffy up ahead of him. It took three long steps for him to tower over the creature and even less to pick it up by the collar of it’s jacket, bringing them nose to nose. "I'm not sure where we're at but there is only room for one of us to rock this look,” he muttered, gesturing down to his own jacket, red and leather, the tail trailing out behind him. “Let’s be honest, I'm doing a better job of it."

He’d been expecting to be face to face with the man who had attacked him in his shop. Instead, he found himself up against a well-dressed rabbit, twitching and struggling in his grasp, clearly terrified as his little legs swung in the air. “I’m s-s-s-sorry for harming you but I had to get you here. I had to g-g-get you to f-f-follow me! You have to help us. Wonderland is cursed!”

“Great, glad to hear it but that’s not my problem to deal with, buddy. I’m a little more focused on dealing with the asshole who thinks it’s alright to walk into my shop and open fire.”

“I-I-I swear, I meant you no true harm, D-D-D—ah!”

The rabbit dropped from his grasp as a blade went whizzing past his head, right between his face and the creature he’d been questioning before embedding itself in the doorframe behind him. Sparking with a purple sort of energy, the blade was covered in dried flecks of blood and engraved with an intricate design. It was small, like a chef’s knife almost—but deadly sharp.

It figured. While he’d been busy questioning the fluffy little bunny, the real threat had arrived.


	2. Alice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all to all your Kudos and views thus far! This story will feature alternative points of views. Last chapter we heard the beginning of our tale from our resident Demon hunter, now how about someone a little...Madder...

Just how long had it been now? Since she last saw the sun? Since she last felt it’s warmth permeate her skin, and warm the confines of her soul. Alice had long since lost track of time. She hadn't even seen the Rabbit in ages to ask him what time it was. He was probably off having an anxiety attack about being punctual again. The very least he could do was point her in the right direction. It had to have been at least a year since her most recent tumble back into Wonderland.

And had it changed... But so had she.

No longer full of rainbows, singing flowers and people giggling over tea. No. This was a realm condemned to hell. Flowery scenery had been exchanged for polluted, ruined wastelands. Empty crumbling cities, disgusting mills and distilleries. It was every little bit the picture of an apocalypse. "It is only fitting I would suppose." She had huffed upon realizing her predicament, what seemed like an eon ago. Ash drifted airborne through the ether, her pale hand swatting away the charred speck. "A broken world for a broken girl."

Things had been... Difficult for Alice as of late. The walls of the Pale Palace had been seemingly closing in on her these days. What used to be a welcoming space, had turned sullen and stifling these days. Tea parties had been cancelled, meetings held in their place. Halls that used to be full of laughter were now full of silence, scurrying servants who dared not utter a peep, for fear of upsetting her once again. Warm gazes and tender smiles had been exchanged for anxiously bitten lips and empathetic smiles… Or none at all.

When was the last time Knave dared to smile at her?

Even Lance’s smiles were growing few and far between these days. Though she had bore witness to a few, on occasion. A new squire had been added to their ranks, a refugee from the neighboring kingdom, freshly freed from the cells of the Dark Keep, if her fragile mind could recollect correctly. His visage was blurry in her mind. But all that had mattered was that he was a fresh face, a happy, grateful face.

The memory is dodgy at best. But then again, when was the last time she had ventured outside of her room?

It was only at the beckoning of _him_ that she had breached the threshold once more.

She doubted anyone noticed her presence in the halls. Her dear Knights had long since given up their posts at her door, the servants had stopped traveling her halls. When was the last time the Queen even graced her with her presence? Alice could scarce remember. However, it was truly no wonder her dear friends were flocking to other, fresher faces, or throwing themselves into their duty. Who wanted to entertain the whims of a mad girl, shrieking on and one about the smell of smoke...

Or some demented thinly veiled asylum, for broken girls like her to be picked apart by the good doctor Angus Bumby. She hadn't lasted there long before this realm became her home once again.

Alice just had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving as easily as she had in the past.

She brushed her raven black hair away from her face, nose wrinkling as the smell of soot and grime invaded her senses, and pulled her from her melancholy wonderings. It was a stark contrast to last she roamed these streets. At a time, she would have wondered why the sky was blue, or what made the flowers bloom in the bright colors that they were.

But the sky wasn’t blue. And the flowers had wilted and died.

And there she remained, retracing the pathway her ghost had taken, kicking up charred Earth beneath her boots, her fingers brushing against glorified kitchen blade tucked into her apron. Though the Vorpal Blade would greatly protest at being called as such. The blade hummed in the depth of her pocket, growling in a sense. The sentient blade had its quirks. Numerous ones. the growled, the crackle of energy, the wisps of violent light that shrieked about the blade like lightning barely scratched the surface of the blade that had served as her dearest companion in these dark times.

At times. the blade was her guiding light. Guiding her through Wonderland, through life, just as much as it guided her through the battles that fell along the way.

She felt the fine hairs at the back of her neck stand on end, a weight pressed itself down upon her shoulders, and she didn't need Cheshire to speak to know he was there.

"So do you know how a raven is like a writing desk?" She rolled her eyes.

"Are both trying to kill me? Because I'm getting bloody tired of this muck, Chesh."

"You lack discipline. You have wasted ten years, and what have you regained of your sanity? Of your strength?" Chesh was scolding her, curling himself around her, his tail swishing over her chest. His claws dug gently within her shoulder with warning.. Alice only sighed in response. Ten years then?

“At least someone is keeping track. I’ll note that you’re as reliable as a calendar, Cheshire.”

“And I will note that you are as reliable as a broken clock.” The barb rolled off her shoulders, emerald eyes averting themselves, lost in thought once more. Ten years. and only the gods knew how long she had in Wonderland. Her trips previous were never more than a handful of days at most--It was all the time she was afford, back in the day. It was all her lifestyle allowed her, and then? It was all the nurses would allow her, before their pills and would drag her back. But now? The days had turned into months, and the seasons had changed several times. What of her body in the real world? Did it even exist? Or did she simply disappear. Nothing but an empty bed in London,leaving behind a house full of confused children and a boggled doctor.

Boots clicked softly as she made her way down a cobblestone path between the run down buildings. The sky a eerie, smoky shade of yellow above her. The smell of sulfur hung thick in the air, and it pulled her from her thoughts more than once. Was this supposed to be a leisurely stroll?

"No one gave me a guide. None of you have been any help." Alice huffed, but reached up to the Cheshire Cat and stroked his neck all the same. The malnourished, skeletal cat pressed its head against her cheek in response, a purr low in its throat.

"I never known you to be the type of girl who sat and waited to be guided. This is your life slipping away into the abyss, Alice. Do you wish to perish in this hell?" She stalled in her footing, her intense emerald gaze dropping to her boots. Ash had begun to settle on them, despite her progress. The destruction of her Fair Wonderland still followed, still consumed her.

"I shouldn't be alive. I should have died long ago--" A brief cry escaped her lips. pain shooting through her shoulder until her body bent to contort itself from the source of the pain. Alice stumbled and glared at the mangy cat, who only glared in response. A great feat for this feline, who was infamous for his maniacal grin.

There was no grin this time.

"Silence your mouth. Before I bring new meaning to the phrase 'Cat has your tongue.', dear Alice..." Alice glared openly, a retort set on that same tongue before movement was caught her in peripheral vision.

Movement was not expected to be found, not in this charred wasteland of what used to be a bustling forest-side town that once stood proudly here. Now scorched in fire and brimstone, the landscape was painted in blacks and greys and splotches of yellows from the stained sky above. It had made the red all the more noticeable.

It was the crash that came next. And her boots launched themselves into action. Fingers finding her trusted blade once more. Some habits died hard.

And curiosity must always be satisfied.

Rabbit's appearance was a notable one. His white fur, the vibrancy of his riding coat that encased his miniature stature was the brightest object to be held amidst this monochromatic scene. Alice shouldn’t have been surprised, Rabbit was always popping up in the strangest of places, usually just as disoriented and perplexed as her as to how it was he ended up in such predicaments, before turning his anxiety to the time, and the fate of his punctuality.

Even more so with him struggling in the clutches of a foreigner.

She quite nearly mistook him for another Rabbit, or perhaps the same Rabbit, caught in a disagreement with a Rabbit that was both himself, and not himself. Or perhaps even catching the rabbit in mid transformation, and finding himself at odds with both sides of the spectrum. The color schemes were the the same. Both donned in red coats, pale hair as silver as Rabbit’s coat (Though she supposed the soot and grime was to blame...) Alice merely stood in incertitude. In Wonderland, anything was possible. Twins, Untwins, Rabbits turning into humans, Humans turning into cards, ravens turning into writing desks. Childhoods turning to ash, Champions turning into shtooms.

She half expected the scene to play without her, for a resolution to be found without need for her to intervene. It seemed to be the habit Wonderland had fallen to as of late. However, her blade would not have it.

It crackled, and itched for use. With a roll of her eyes Alice shrugged Chesh off her shoulders freeing her movements as she gripped at her blade once more. Feeling the familiar, thrilling hum of potential devastation, controlled in a grip that was well known for being anything but. The duo was busy in their bickering(Well, the taller one was threatening, Rabbit was merely stammering, but she supposed when the two were combined, it constituted as bickering) so it was no surprise that when she took the time to stand side face, and aim her blade at the humanesque impersonator, not a brow was raised in her direction. A quick flick of the wrist was all that was needed.

The blade made a sickening noise as it tore through wood, splinters sprayed out among the duo. It gave Alice a moment of pause, pale lips parting in silent question.

Vorpal never missed.

But perhaps the blade was becoming dull and inaccurate, after months of misuse. Dark brows furrowed together. Instead of a dead impostor, and a fleeing Rabbit, she had drawn the attention of both.

Her tongue jumped on ahead of her, as her hand returned to her now empty hip pocket."Rabbit, if you can be trusted for nothing else, it is your ability to fall into trouble."

"As can you." She could hear Cheshire’s grin behind her.

The impostor loosened his grip upon rabbit then, the white bundle of nerves quaking as he hit the ground, dust ad ash bellowing around him. Alice’s gaze was more focused upon the steely blue stare that had now turned upon her. Impostor indeed. Red coat, a bastardized version of Rabbits own, hair a pitiful shade of silver--not the stark white Rabbit often sported. Skin was sun kissed--What use would Rabbit have for a tan? And Rabbit’s eyes were red, not blue!

Throwing her blade had been an error on her part. Fingers flexed upon her hip. The impostor stood well over six foot, as she need not stand closer to foreigner to know he would tower over her five-foot-nothing frame.

Recovering from his tumble to the Earth, Rabbit straightened his own coat, smoothing out the creases, tapping large foot several times in succession. Was he drawing attention to himself? Or was he merely fidgeting? Alice felt his gaze draw back and forth between the two of them as they stood in silent stand off, before calling out. "I’ve got him here Cheshire! I'm off to find the Caterpillar. He needs to know about this. I…” He gulped audibly then. The impostor still looked on, but as did Alice, waiting for the other boot to fall, perhaps. Rabbit panted. “I hope we were right about all of this!" Giving the Impostor one last, terrified look, the nervous git took off hopping, speeding down the uneven cobblestone road as fast as his little legs could carry him.

And then there was silence.

Alice could feel the impostor's gaze burning a hole through her stomach. He was sizing her up, surely. His lips twitched, seemingly in mirth, and Alice felt herself bristle. No doubt he was running an internal commentary about her. Scrutinizing her waifish stature. His body took its time to turn to face her proper, and Alice found herself falling in step, mirroring his actions, offering him the same scrutiny. He was tall, that much had been well established. But Alice took note of the muscles that tensed and shifted. Another oversight, Rabbit hardly had an athletic build, even when he donned his Glimmer for Otherland. This creature was built not unlike a well seasoned fight, the kind of brutes she saw cross blades with Knave and Lance in the tournaments. Had the rival Kingdoms finally made their move, and sent an assassin?

His hands twitched.

Her body half lurched, her boot kicking out a loose stone that had laid against it in their prolonged standoff. She had expected him to rush her. But the Impostor perplexed her further, Finger-less gloved hands merely turning outwards. That twitching lip had stretched into a full blown, crooked grin that had Cheshire purring at her feet. But for Alice, the sight did little more than flip her stomach, and drop it into her boots.

He finally spoke out, his tone barely holding back his laughter. "Listen, I don't know who you are or where this is. I was promised a job though, by the rabbit. So, where's the demon?"

Alice's eyes narrowed. Excuse her? A job? His body language screamed of the white flag. Perhaps her knife trick apparently had been enough to subdue him. But her curiosity was piqued. Usually, when cornered, the beasts dropped their acts. They shed their false skins, a slave to their rage. Too often, she had seen creatures break their ‘character; in mid sentence when confronted by her. Their jaws falling slack, necks snapping as they spewed black ooze at her or shrieked incoherently. But this impostor maintained his ruse. If he was hostile, he was smart enough to hide it from her.

He wasn't from the Dark Kingdom then.

"...What?"

Cheshire sneered at her side. "You are content to suffer in your illusions, but some of us have grown tired of watching you die Alice. So we have sought out _him_ " He gestured to the man with a swish of his tail, a cloud of dust flowing in its wake. "Do try not to put your knife through his heart."

So he was summoned.

"...No promises."

Alice warily took a few paces forward, curiosity guiding her movements, now that Cheshire had deemed the ‘Impostor’ not to be as such. But merely a stranger. A replacement. she placed herself out of his reach, but instead perched herself atop misplaced slab of what had once been someone’s concrete stoop. The Stranger was less imposing, when she could sneakily shrink the height difference between them.

Her hand raised slightly, the Stranger’s hand made move to meet hers. However the blade wobbled in the wall, before plucking itself out and returning to her, like any loyal Wonderland weapon should. It was then that Alice allowed herself to smile--No...Smirk, perhaps. her lips had long forgotten how to smile in any sense of elation. But they remembered condescension well. "This land is full of demons. I have half a mind to think you one of them."

"Half a mind? That is being generous. Alice, your sanity lies in fragments and you still refuse help?" Chesh vanished at her side, shaking his head when he reappeared… At the feet of the Stranger.

Judas.

Her feline ‘friend’ cranked his neck, grin on full display.“Pay little mind to the girl. as I'm sure her death wish is of no interest to you. But she is correct about the demons." Alice blinked, jaw nearly agape.

"You know I can hear you right?"

The Stranger smirked then, dancing crookedly across his lips, his gaze still upon her. Alice felt her nostrils flair, fingers tensing around Vorpal. She had half a mind to cut into him now, and balance out that cocky grin. Something sparked in those too-blue eyes of his, something that burned at her stomach--seemingly for his enjoyment. He finally broke their gaze, just to spite her, she would bet her blade upon it. To regard Cheshire, his head turned askew. "Just so happens, demons are my specialty.”

_Of course, because he is one. A snake at that._

He continued, of course, oblivious to her internal sneering. “Of course, you already seem to know that considering you are the one who wanted me here. Generally I require some form of payment however for my services," He glanced up at her again, and her heart jumped into her throat, her stomach doing somersaults within her abdomen. Payment?

_The past must be paid for, Alice._

If her face gave way any trace of the fear that fluttered through her, he made no comment about it. His gaze still bore into hers."If this world is as full of demons as you claim, it's going to take quite a sum to cover my costs."

Squatting down, he examined the cat at his feet, his face turned serious. "I don't do charity work cat. What'll it be?"

Alice's jaw did drop when it was made obvious she was all but shut out of the conversation. Cheshire even made move to disconnect them, to place himself between the two of them. She was nothing more than a witness! This was her Wonderland was it not? A world of her own mad creation! If she wanted to sit in ruins who were they to tell her no?

Who were they to keep her then!?

"Wait, if he's from reality then why haven't I been sent back?" She was here for two years for crying out loud. Not that she was in any real rush to head back to being strapped down to a bed and force fed Lithium to stop her wailing...

Chesh huffed, tossing a glance over his shoulder. He turned back to Dante. And were they in any better company, she would have felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. Of all days, why shut her out now? "It is her trauma that has corrupted this land. And the demons here have taken prisoner of her as payment...Your payment shall not be as burdensome."

Burdensome. That’s what she was.

It would have been kinder to twist Vorpal into her heart, and feast upon it. What would have been tears, turned into frustration, burning hot in the pit of her stomach. "Chesh are you familiar with the expression, 'More than one way to skin a cat'?" The grey feline physically shuddered at the comment. But Alice felt no compassion for this creature who was supposed to be her confidant. Her boot tapped in impatience.

But Cheshire continued. "The girl is rich. Her broken mind has no use for wealth. Consider it your payment, to be paid in full if you manage to cleanse this hellish place."

The Stranger held the cat's gaze while he seemingly considered his options. Alice threw her eyes into another dramatic roll, keeping them peeled back to the yellow sky, blinking furiously as moisture built up in her orbs unwillingly. Surely a mere eviction notice would have been kinder, than forcing herself out of the Palace to bear witness to this.

Then again, he could always refuse---"You got yourself a deal." Or not.

The Stranger stood then, boots crunching down on the charred earth as her made move to approach. Her arms crossed angrily over her chest.He was her replacement? If she narrowed her eyes any further she would just be closing them, so she settled for crossing her arms over her chest. Wonderland was her world. Her mess. It seemed fitting that she would die here while her body rotted away in some asylum. But Wonderland had moved on. Chosen itself a new champion.

Good. Maybe she could die in peace then.

"Broken huh?” He finally spoke to her. His voice too warm, too kind to match his role in her Hell. That crooked smirk was back in full force. “I'm of the mind that if something is broken, you either find a new use for it or you throw it away. Let's see which one you'll be.” As if he had any place to judge her! Her lips parted, but her voice was gone, seemingly having found a small, dark corner of her soul to cower in its in self loathing. He seemed all the more amused for her effort. “You seem good enough with that knife of yours--it might be fun if you come along for the ride, " he added with a jagged grin, tossing the comment over his shoulder as he walked past her and headed towards the smoking woods. "If this is your world Alice, bring it on. The sooner, the better. If you want out so bad, it's about time you start fighting for it."

"Him? You chose him?" She hissed to Chesh as the Stranger started on without her, visibly seething at his comment. Chesh noted the anger in her eyes...And only grinned wider.

"A spark needed to be lit." With that he vanished into the aether, his grin the last to go, as was his trademark. Alice growled and clutched at the hilt of her knife, stalking after the Stranger. So Wonderland wanted to forget about her and be saved by some... Hunter for hire? She would see how long this would last. With demons like hers, he wouldn't last a minute.

"Forgive me if I don't become attached to you." She scoffed at the red clad Stranger, uncertain if the burning in her abdomen was betrayal or just plain jealousy. "I trust you'll do the same."


	3. Dante

Dante was used to women reacting to him in a variety of ways. He was used to them laughing at his jokes or rolling their eyes at his humor, staring at he walked past, eyes wide, mouths slightly ajar. He was never fully sure if they were looking at him that way because he was a hunter, because they thought him good looking, or because they saw the truth of what he was.

A monster.

Whatever the case, he was used to a wealth of reactions. Lust, delight, annoyance, disgust—he’d run the gambit with women. As for himself, he generally went for the same type when it came to women--easy. Easy translated to a very important word in his mind however; expendable. This girl however, with her burning emerald eyes and her spitfire attitude and her kitchen blade and her apron, got under his skin in a whole different way. He found himself grinning, shaking his head as a chuckle left his lips—the exact opposite of what she was likely looking for from him. "No worries there, sweetheart. I'm not the relationship type. Show me the demons and I'll gladly be on my way to your riches. You can then go back to being just like the rest of us--broken and stuck in a shitty reality."

He walked easily through the woods, his arms relaxed at his sides. His hands would be on Ebony and Ivory, his trusted twin pistols, in an instant if need be but he felt no imminent danger here. Besides, he was still taking in his surroundings. This world was all wrong, as if someone had grabbed it and shaken it until everything was on its head. The woods were dark and the trees were a sickly greenish black color as if the very life was being sucked from them. It could have been beautiful, once upon a time. He could imagine it to be full of life, the nature so bursting with color that it practically hurt one’s eyes. However, this was no "Wonder"land, as the Rabbit had described it.

This was just another shithole location, no different from the others.

His boots remained near silent on their path, his blue eyes sweeping over the landscape as they traversed the woods. It was eerily quiet. He was so used to the noise Fortuna provided that silence made him uneasy. There was no sound of rushing cars, no chatter on the streets. Not even the evil whispering of demons as they lured humans out to do their bidding…and become their meal.

As they walked, he could feel the tension rolling off of his reluctant companion. He had to wonder why she even bothered to come with him. If he was doing a job meant for her, shouldn’t she be glad to be, well…fired? If her mind was truly as broken as they all made it out to be, shouldn’t she feel some sort of relief that the pressure was off of her shoulders?

Instead, here she was, stomping after him, looking ready to cut down anyone who so much as spoke a word. Which, of course, made him want to speak volumes. That cat had raised her hackles and she certainly wasn't feeling kind towards him—why not expound on the damage already done? "So...what made you go crazy?" He generally wasn't one for small talk but, considering this world was supposedly built out of her broken mind, he figured that getting to the source of the problem wasn't such a bad idea. After all, he wanted to know what sort of broken they meant. Was she the sort to cut his head from his shoulders—or was she just going to start freaking out on him? He needed to be prepared to best whatever damage she might threaten upon him.

Her eyes darted back and forth between the striped stockings covering her long legs and the leather pants covering his own, sticking mostly to the ground as she seemed to consider the question. He noticed the way her lips pursed and twitched, as if working out the answer for herself, fighting for the words, ordering them just right in her head before she finally spoke up.

“Blood and fire. And maybe the clockwork wasn’t right…”

With a shake of her head, she withdrew her weapon. Her fingers ran along the blade, picking a the blood flakes there, tracing the designs etched into it’s side. A chuckle left her lips, as if she had thought of something sadly amusing but she didn’t enlighten him to her thought pattern. Instead, those wide emerald eyes of hers lifted and she stood stock still, her gaze looking far beyond him.

Turning his head, he looked to find where her interest lay and found a shimmering pool upon the ground. It could have been water…outside of the fact that it was black in color and pulled at his very soul. He knew that feeling. It was the same feeling he always got on a hunt. He didn’t need to hear her confirmation to know what lay ahead of them.

“Corruption,” she muttered. “A pool of demons.”

As if to prove her point a lanky, black creature pulled itself from the pool, shrieking out to the forest around them. It’s mouth was stretched wide, corruption spilling from it’s lips, it’s eyes just hollow pits as it stared out at them, eager to find a victim between them.

Dante's eyes locked on the filth in front of him, and a wicked smile stretched his lips as he watched the demon form from the oil-like substance. "That's my cue," he murmured, pulling out Ebony and Ivory. Crossing his arms at the wrists, he fired two shots directly through the demon's head and watched as it reformed itself around the bullets. Guns wouldn't work in this case, that much was clear. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he holstered the pistols, mentally promising them a chance in the next battle.

There was always a next battle.

Onto his next option, he lifted his sword from his back. Rebellion was a blade at least as long as Alice was tall, thick and heavy and difficult to handle for anyone outside of the Hunter. He however hefted the blade as if it were nothing. Swinging Rebellion with ease, he felt it slice like butter through the demon, only to find the damn thing regenerating once again. It seemed it didn’t matter the weapon—it was the enemy itself.

Annoyed, he glanced down at the glimmering pool it was spawning from and realized that the demon was taking time to become a solid form, starting at the tips of it's toes and working it’s way up. What a pain in the ass.

Looking towards Alice, he yelled out, "These things are taking time to become real. Can't hurt something that isn't real Alice!" This world was of her imagination, right? Perhaps with enough egging on, she could imagine these things would just die already. After all—he could only keep them from regenerating for so long.

"It's like you think I haven't dealt with them before." His partner muttered with a roll of her large eyes. Alice darted towards the creature, determined to reach it before it solidified. The creature hissed and lunged at her, but with grace that seemed unlike the girl she dodged it. Twirling around the demon, she ran her finger along her blade and the short sword warped into a...Clockwork bunny?

Alice grinned and shoved the toy into the chest of the creature just before the cavity solidified. She made a hasty retreat, skidding to a halt next to Dante."3..2...1..." Boom.

Smirking triumphantly as the demon was blown into five separate pieces, cocky sneer offered to her 'partner'.

Dante watched as chunks of the demon landed at his feet, his lips curling into a smirk of his own. "A crazy girl with explosives--you are getting more interesting by the second.” And more dangerous to his well being but what kind of girl wasn’t more fun that way?

Trish would have his head for thinking that.

Focusing on the matter at hand, he nodded to the shimmering pool of corruption once more. “Unfortunately, there are more of them coming...got more bombs?"

Demons continued to form from the oil like spill and come after them, seemingly hurried by the sudden threat to their livelihood. These demons were much quicker at becoming solid creatures than their predecessors and that fact alone had the Hunter smiling. Pulling a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from a pocket inside of his jacket, he lit up and gripped Rebellion’s hilt tighter. "Time to work."

Walking forward, he approached one of the nearly fully formed demons and shoved Rebellion through it's chest. The demon screamed and died on his blade and he flung it off into a group of half formed demons coming out of the oil, effectively knocking them back into the substance.

"Bloody things!" Alice hissed, her British accent becoming a little more predominant as the creatures reformed again and again. While Dante fought the creatures back, using their own mass against each new creature, Alice knelt and dipped her finger into the pool of corruption. Her pale digit came back coated in the oil and he saw her patting the pockets of her apron from the corner of his eye. Suddenly, her head snapped up and her eyes focused in on him, narrowing on the cigarette dangling from his lips. She let out a shrill whistle and called out, “Smoking is terrible for your health, theirs too!”

Cleanly slicing the head off of another formed demon, Dante speared two more onto the end of Rebellion and stabbed the blade down into the ground, effectively pinning them to the oily pit they had come from. As dense as many would like to think him, he could definitely take a hint. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he dropped it into the blackened pool and the entire thing went up in flames, the creatures shrieking as their source was destroyed, their bodies melting into nothing.

Allowing the flames to clear the substance from his sword, he swung Rebellion onto his back and turned to look to Alice.. The girl could hold her own--that much was true. If so, why did she chose to be stuck in this hellish world? Not like it was that much different from what the world was becoming but hey, that's what he was trying to prevent, right? He just didn’t get it though—they said she was broken, crazy even. She just didn’t seem all that crazy. In fact, to him she seemed rather clever, even if her wit cost him a cigarette. So, if she was all that put together—why did they need him here?

"Smoking is the least of my problems,” he said as way of catching her attention again. Giving her a smirk, he raised a single silvered brow. “You owe me a cigarette. Lead the way," he gestured, nodding towards the path. "This is your world...you should know where we need to go next."

"At least you can take orders..." Alice muttered as she recoiled from the flaming pool, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. The flames seemed to scare her, as if she had to steel herself against the sight. Turning her back on the blaze, she paced away from it and brushed the soot off of her dress, smearing the blood that had landed there upon her apron. Readjusting her stocking, she uttered, “Smoking is a detestable hobby.” Standing upright again, she looked around at her surroundings, her voice a touch sad as she added, “This used to be my world but it’s out of my control now. We must be close to the Vale of Tears…”

He gave follow as she began to wander off again, agitated over her insinuation that she’d ordered him to do anything. Like he was a dog and she was his master. He wanted to snarl at her but he couldn’t help to notice that the very thing he found annoying about her was what most people found irritating about him—his flippant cockiness to cover any situation.

"Smoking isn't a hobby. It's like brushing your teeth. It's just something you do," he commented, folding his hands behind his head as he walked after her. Looking around him, he noticed that the trees were changing, morphing into blackened things that looked so made of ash that a single touch could disintegrate the entire countryside. He was tempted to try it. Perhaps disintegrating this world was the only way to leave it.

Or, perhaps, it was a surefire way to get them both killed.

She had mentioned the Vale of Tears. The only Vale of Tears he was familiar with was the biblical version where one supposedly left behind all of the trials and tribulations of life before transcending to Heaven. Not that he really believed in such a thing but he had a feeling that this place wasn’t going to be any better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kind words and kudos so far! Please share and R&R, you know the deal!


	4. Alice

Well...At least the trees had grown in a bit more.

Alice supposed it was positive. No longer burnt husks of wood. They actually seemed alive, though their plentiful leaves were not a lush green, but instead the color of blood. They loomed forbiddingly overhead, their leafy limbs stretching out to mask the sky from their view. Truly, it was no big loss, as the yellow, coffee stained sky was hardly a sight worth admiring. Alice spared little words as they continued to trudge further into the wood. Periodically, her darkened boots nudged at a pile of leaves, nudging a rock out of the way, her gaze sweeping through the eerily quiet wood.

So, this was what the day would bring? Alice certainly couldn’t blame them for hiring some sort of… _Contractor_ to assist in the work. How long could she truly expect them to wait around, to go about their daily motions while their ‘Champion’ lay with her madness, holed up in her room. She supposed she should be grateful that her replacement thought well enough of her to allow her to serve as his guide. Not like Cheshire or Rabbit could just as easily do the job. Honestly, she had no idea where it is they should go. The only destination that made any sense would be to _her_ palace…Madness or reality, One thing was certain; the Queen was always the _Heart_ of the problem

But in what direction? Who knew, she lacked a compass!

Alice hopped down from a small rocky ledge, nearly slipping on the sudden appearance of grass. Scorched black, smoggy yellow, crimson leaves began to bleed into dark blues of babbling brooks, and splotches of greenery, struggling to thrive amidst this wasteland… But not a flower in sight.

But there was _that_ thing again.

The fountain.

The young girl etched into the rock face of the meager cliff was Mock Turtle’s finest work. Though the likeness to Wonderland’s ‘dearest’ Champion, the brook serving as her tears as she wept into the pool of water that surrounded her at her base, left Alice uncertain if it was meant to be a homage or mockery. Alice grimaced and turned at the sight regardless. "It's taken it in the literal sense now it seems."

She heard her ‘companion’ leap down from the ledge, his red coat fanning out and brushing against dress, but her gaze remained reluctant upon the rock face sculpture. The area was sprawled with overgrown mushrooms and children's play things--something that unsettled her more than she'd like to admit. Perhaps if they were of normal size, she would have no issue, but few childish objects were enlarged as they scattered through the lush wood. A domino the size of a tree there, a jack that rivaled a boulder here. Alice wasn't sure where to look, so she settled for the ground. This was why she preferred staying put where she was.

"She looks sort of like you. The girl." She snapped her attention towards him, as he nodded up at the statue, and to her credit, she bit back a comment on his astute observation skills. Instead, she noted that his hands had curled into fists, a shake of his head suggesting he was hardly at ease at the sight himself. "Was she always here or did she arrive after you lost your marbles?" Or he could jab at her. As if she didn't have enough people poking and prodding at her…

_Come now Alice, let’s not be silly..._

"Dat would be her!"

Alice's head jerked up at the sound. A honest glare set on a horned creature breaching the surface of the pool of 'tears'. Mock Turtle. Her imaginations first failed creature. One part minotaur, one part turtle, neither one or the other. Just a hodgepodge of the two. He was just as irritating to look at, as he was to listen to, his tone entirely nasal. "Well, when she first came here. She's far less pretty now."

"I'd silence my tongue if I were you Mock Turtle. Last I saw you you were a blubbering mess.” She could hear his wails at the back of her mind. “Shouldn't you be in a stew by now?" She had expected to send him running, or at least silence his grin. The Mock Turtle simply cackled, a grating laugh that had her fingers twitching around her blade. He pulled himself up onto the statue's lap, staring at the pair with a cocked eyebrow.

"Duchess has lost her appetite for Turtle. She's craving whiny, self loathing nutjobs." Alice twitched, shooting a glance to Dante.

"Feel free to kill _that_ one."

To her companion’s credit, he tried to stifle his laughter, but the shake of his shoulders gave him away, along with that crooked smile she was tempted to fix. "Sorry sweetheart. I don't kill innocents. Even annoying ones." Taking a step forward, he looked down at the Mock Turtle and questioned, "Who's Duchess? She sounds prissy. I don't do well with prissy."

"He's new here isn't he?" Mock Turtle gestured towards Dante with a toothy grin. "No one is innocent. Especially that one, right Alice?" He added, jutting his broad chin towards her.

Alice shifted uncomfortably in her shoes. First Cheshire, then this stranger, now Mock turtle? Everyone was taking turns picking on her now, it was no better than the asylum. She squeezed her blade tight, but it was not rage that filled her veins. Her blade understood, the metal warping and shuddering, bulging until the blade shuddered into her clockwork rabbit once again. One might think she intended to toss the item into the water, and seal the Mock Turtle’s fate. But instead, she sought comforted within it, hugging the item to her chest. The good doctor would have a field day with her, were he to see this. Only a truly crazy girl would hug an explosive shaped like a child's plaything.

"The Duchess is a demon." She muttered miserably. The Mock Turtle cackled again.

"A demon? Demons are those pitiful black creatures. The Duchess is much worse, such an ugly cow, she's taken to cannibalism as of late. Emptied the orphanage in a fortnight." Alice shuddered, clinging to her rabbit tighter. "Vowed to have you as her next dish once she gets her hands on you." That didn't seem to scare her any further. In fact she smiled at that.

"I'm not edible... But we should teach her manners..."

“You are hardly in the position to teach her anything, look at you still quaking in your---” But Mock Turtle's insult was drowned out by the pull of a trigger. A shot into the water near the grotesque turtle, making it spin before fleeing underwater with a squeal. The coward.

Her gaze shot sideways to Dante, an arm extended to the water, a pristine, silver, glistening handgun grasped in his leather gloved hand, cocking a silver a brow at her. He lowered his arm with haste, nodding to the path that wound up the rock face. "C'mon. Let's get out of here. The sooner we find the Duchess, the sooner we can get your world put back together."

She stole a glance at Dante. Climbing up onto a ledge on the other side of the weeping girl statue, he was quick to turn around and offer his hand. "Have you crossed her path before?" Alice nodded then, hesitant as she stood upon a slimy, moss covered rock, the next step could be hit or miss, and if it were a miss… her head would roll in more ways than one. She shot out her hand at once, nearly hissing in pain when his calloused fingers wrapped around her, burning her even through the material of his glove.

A blush betrayed her, and once she was settled she pulled away from him with haste.

Alice dipped her head to brush her hands off on her apron. Her gaze focused on the next step needed. There was a creek that fed the statue its 'tears', Alice pointed to it. "Her home was in the Bayou, last I remember. Things have changed, but it will be worth a shot." Would the Duchess' death solve her problems? Alice had a sinking feeling it wouldn't even scratch the surface.

"She's a moody bitch. Ugly as all get out." She covered her flush with a stinging comment to the Duchess. "She blames me for the death of her child. The stupid bitch. She didn't realize all the pepper she used turned it into a piglet---"

A laugh escaped Dante's lips as he scratched at the stubble on his chin, shaking his head. "You turned her kid into a pig?!” Did he not hear her the first time?

Alice nodded, then shook her head vehemently, "I didn't! I swear it!"

He was still laughing, and what should have caused a burn in her stomach, brought a strange smile to her lips, her hands waving. "I stumbled into her kitchen when I was younger, when the Red Queen was demanding I play croquet with her. The stench was awful, way too much pepper, the baby kept sneezing. The Duchess said she was going to beat him if he continued. I went to save him and..." She gave a little snort, imitating the noise the piglet had given her. "It was an improvement. It was an ugly child. It made a cute pig however."

"One of my many crimes I'm accused of." She commented with a wistful smile, slender fingers working through her long raven locks. The creek was bubbling slightly. With every bubble that broke the survive, a child's innocent laughter was emitted. Alice could only stand the sound for a few tense moments before switching to the other side of Dante, eyes shut tightly.

And that crooked grin only grew wider, a finger-less gloved hand slapping down on his leg. His laughter boomed around her… And she could only stare on. Laughter. Not at her, but… With her? That was new. “That's great. You really are something, you know that Alice? You're a spitfire.”

Funny, most would have called her a nutter. Doctor Bumby certainly did. Children, turning into piglets? Preposterous. Only a mad mind could devise this.Then again, Dante was a part of this world, so he was nothing more than a figment as well. His grin was still twisting her stomach. “Helping you might not be such a pain in the ass after all."

From then they walked, their conversation dying, and falling victim to the babbling brook, as it turned from bubbles to moans, to screams that were cut off far too soon. Alice winced with every one, and tried to ignore the way the pristine water stained to an inky black.

It was Dante who broke the awkward non-silence."So...the accent. British. Where were you from exactly before you came here?" His question pulled her out of her darkened thoughts, dark green eyes springing back to life. Usually it would be Chesh who would appear to distract her from her darker thoughts. But he would do.

"England. Bristol. At least... I was born in Bristol." Her eyes were clouded again. Bristol. That was where her home had been. But what of the Asylum? The good doctor and the other children spoke like her. But she seldom left her room. "I don't know where Rutledge is in comparison..." She paused for a moment, ducking her head low. It wasn't like it would be a shock to him that she was crazy. "It's an orphanage for mentally disturbed youth. In too posh of a neighbor to simply be called an Asylum. Where I'm kept...I was kept?" She wiggled her fingers. Every other time she was in Wonderland, her physical body never moved. This was no different then, right?

She coughed awkwardly. "And you?"

Dante frowned. She got the distinct feeling this was not a wise question to ask in return. Queer. Usually her figments of her imagination were overjoyed to explain themselves to her. "It's kind of a long story. My shop is set up in a shit hole of a city called Fortuna on the east coast of America. So, I guess in reality, we're only across the big pond from each other."

His eyes darkened noticeably, as did his tone. He slowed in his steps, turning to face her head on. "Orphanage...that can be rough. Especially when you're cooped up with the other cuckoos. It's just a way for them to keep us all in one spot so that they can sweep us under the rug and forget about us in one fell swoop."

"It’s been...Seven years?” Longer still since then. But the days and years fell into the same holes in her mind. The flames had burned away the face of her internal time. Time didn’t matter anymore.

There was no waiting for them to return.

Shaking her head, Alice continued on. “I was removed from the… Asylum. After two years. I was ten when… When it all started.” It was just a dream, was it not? Wonderland was just a mental playground, a safe place to compile her thoughts and escape. At least, that was what the professionals had told her. “Doctor Bumby says I’m a bit of a lost cause… I should be better by now…” And instead, here she was, stuck in this realm.

The giggling bubbles had stopped and Alice noticed that the mud sucking at her boots was getting deeper. It was now halfway up to her knees, making the walk difficult. Dante had halted before her, putting his hand on her shoulder. Her neck hairs raised. "You're going to get stuck soon if this mud keeps getting deeper. Either we take a longer, more roundabout route to the Duchess's place or you hop on," he said, gesturing to his back with a thumb. "And....Seven years is a long time to spend in one place. It's enough to drive anyone mad. That doesn't make you a lost cause, Alice. This Dr. Bumby guy sounds like a royal dick to me."

Emeralds narrowed. "I could have been left to perish! I would have been a whore! He saved me... "

_The past must be paid for, Alice._

She felt ill to her stomach. It would have been better to keep her lips sealed. What could this imaginary mercenary do? What could anyone in Wonderland do for her? It was her mind at fault here.

But she was keeping him waiting. She hated being carried. It wasn't so much the fact that she wanted to walk on her own, she knew this was a better option. If Gryphon was here she wouldn't hesitate to hop on his back. But a human? Touching her? Her experience with the matter was never pleasant. But she was already a hinderance to the waking world… Why must she continue that theme within her mind? Alice sighed and stepped closer to Dante, raising her arms slightly.

He adjusted the enormous sword braced against his back (and it was a wonder, how did he he walk with such ease with it holstered to his back like that?) before bending down, helping her to wrap her arms around his neck. When he felt like her grip was secure enough, he stood, reaching back to wrap his arms under her legs, behind her knees. Confident that she wouldn't slip, he started forward again.

"You said that you went to the Orphanage when you were ten, right? Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't imagine you doing anything bad enough to deserve what you've gone through. You were just a kid. Kids make mistakes--they don't do things worth a lifetime of punishment."

Alice tried to remain silent, as if she could escape to yet another dimension inside her mind. Her light form was tense in his hold, and she struggled to keep her breath even. It wasn't like he was pinning her down or shoving needles into her arms or... Anything of the sort...

"I did." She muttered. She didn't want to think about it, she certainly didn't want to remember. How could she not? Every time the silence fell she remembered their screams, the roar of the fire. "I let them die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please share and R&R, you know the deal!


	5. Dante

_I let them die._

Her words rolled around in his mind, the taste of them bitter on his tongue. He didn't know who 'they' were but he was positive of one thing. "You were a child. Children aren't responsible for the lives of others. It's simple. Someone is supposed to be responsible for you." At least, it was easy to justify that it was simple. He knew the realities of the world though. Nothing was simple, innocence was lost all too easily, and children were often the ones left shouldering the blame for the guilt of the world.

The subject was beginning to hit a little too close to home for him and he clenched his jaw, working to keep his grip on her firm but gentle. He could feel how every muscle of her body was squeezed tight, anxiety rolling off of her in waves. This was a girl who didn’t care to be touched and, had he not been wearing gloves, had she not been wearing stockings, they’d be skin to skin. He had a feeling that much contact would freak her out—but she was giving him a chance. It was better than being slowed down by the mud. The creek was widening and deepening, much more like a river now. The water was still calm however and he could only surmise that they were getting close to the bayou. There was little to no tree cover here and the sky was getting darker as they walked. He wondered if time was even passing while he was here or if it simply didn't exist in this world.

"You don't know..."

Her voice broke the silence, quiet as it was. He hated to admit that she was right—he didn’t know. Not _her_ story, at least. He only knew from his own experiences what it was like. A kid with a dead family and what sounded like delusions? Yeah…he had an idea of how she had been treated. He’d been through it.

He could feel her gaze on his face before she curled up tighter against his back, her forehead ducking against his shoulder until they finally reached the Bayou. The sky above them had darkened, only the fireflies and the distance torches lighting up pieces of the large, out of place Victorian house casting beacons through the dark. The house, like everything else in Wonderland, seemed completely off kilter, unbefitting of the bog surrounding it. One could practically see the evil pouring from the windows and across the wide porch.

Alice was quick to leap out of Dante's arms, steadying herself among the reeds. "That would be the place. But we can't just knock..."

"Pssssst. Ova' 'ere."

Alice nearly leapt at the voice, spinning around, looking down to the three foot Toad in overalls, leaning against a fence post. Dante’s reaction was a little more knee jerk as he spun, aiming Ebony and Ivory at the toad, his fingers poised over the triggers. Staring down the creature for a moment, he lowered his guns as his head gave a slight tilt. “Another friend of yours?” He asked Alice.

Alice parted her lips slightly, confusion etched on her features. Her emerald eyes were twinkling once again, nearly glowing in the dim lighting. She shrugged, but approached the toad all the same, keeping low in the reeds. "Do I know you?"

"Back in the ol' glory days, Love. It's Mcgill!"

Alice’s brow wrinkled slightly, as if fighting to properly place the name. "Carpenter's apprentice?" She questioned, to which the toad nodded. Alice relaxed slightly. "This is Dante, he's..."

"New. 'ope you're not attached to this one. The Duchess will 'ave 'im once she spots 'im." Mcgill chuckled and plucked a cigarette from his overall pocket, and placed the cancerous stick between his... Lips? "You 'ave a light, Love?" Alice wrinkled her nose and cleared the way for Dante to approach him.

"I only have my wits, sorry."

Mcgill smirked. "Good to see you're still a spitfire, all things considered."

A crooked smile tipped Dante's lips as he stepped forward, bending to light the toad's cigarette. He wanted to pull one out for himself but, considering that he wasn't sure how long he'd be stuck here, his hand stilled over the pack. Better to save them for when he was feeling pretty desperate. Who knew the next time he’d be able to get a carton? Though, perhaps he could ask McGill where he had gotten his cigarettes. They had to be available somewhere if the toad was smoking, right? "I regret to inform this Duchess that I'm not on her menu. We've got other plans for her," he added, glancing at Alice.

Looking back at the toad, he offered a cocky grin. "I like you. You're one of the first things around here that makes a lot of sense. What are you doing, hanging out around this crazy bitch's house?"

"Trying to figure out the best way to blow this shitter up." Mcgill said nonchalantly with an inhale of his cigarette. "Much appreciated. But you two best clear out. The fat bitch is in a right state. Put herself into 'ot water with the Red Queen 'erself. Wants her dead."

"Her head." Alice corrected immediately, robotically. Another programmed phrase it seemed.

"That too. Well, never mind. We'll all perish soon enough. Ain't that your line, Love?" Mcgill took in another drag and took a few steps closer to the house. Alice followed him, soon passing him and pressing herself against the side of the building. No lights, no windows on the east side of the building. A perfect place to brace themselves for a battle plan.

"Cantankerous cunt. Ruins my home; builds this monstrosity. She's mad as mash and just as tasteless," Mcgill chuckled. Turning to face Dante, the toad gave him the once over again.

That was all the time needed apparently.

The side of the house suddenly grew a side door, which flung open with such a force that it was no surprise Alice lost her balance against what used to be a wall and tumbled inside. The door quickly slammed shut and disappeared entirely with an eerie chuckle. Mcgill dropped his cigarette as well as his jaw. "Gluttonous Bitch!"

Dante watched as Alice disappeared from his view, unable to move quickly enough to stop her. His hands felt along the side of the house, looking for any crack or cranny that could signify where the door was. All hints however had disappeared—just as his companion had.

Looking down at Mcgill, he cracked his knuckles. "Well, that's my cue. See ya on the other side pal," he muttered. Heading towards the front of the house, his jaw set and his eyes narrowed, his face taking on the serious mask of a man settling down to business. Sneaking was great but it really wasn't his style, especially when something of his was taken away from him. Right now, Alice was his charge and he was none too happy about the fat bitch grabbing her from his side. He didn’t like being made to feel inept when it came to his job. Lifting a boot covered foot, he kicked down the front door. His fingers tightened around Ebony and Ivory, ready for whatever would came at him.

What he hadn't been prepared for however was the stench. The house reeked, it's smell rolling at him in a wave that would have had weaker stomachs keeled over and vomiting. Wrinkling his nose, he continued deeper into the house’s depths, trying to ignore the pungent odor. He'd dealt with cannibals before and he'd dealt with bitches before. Combining the two wouldn't be that different, right?

As he continued into her lair, he kept his eyes peeled for striped stockings and burning emerald eyes. He'd be damned if something happened to that girl on his watch. As he ran, he could hear a voice echoing down the halls.

It was followed by a cry of pain.

He picked up the pace and, the closer he got to the stench, the better he could hear the nasally tone. “Ooh, now that is a pretty sound. Do continue while I…portion you. On a diet, you see.”

He finally had reached the source of the stench, pushing open a door that led to what looked to be a kitchen. In the center, Alice was strapped to a chair with a disturbing looking woman leering over top of her. The woman’s head was grotesquely large compared to the rest of her body and her skin sagged, held into what he supposed was meant to be the shape of an appealing figure by corseting. A grin split her face, showing off sharp, yellowed teeth as she brandished a butcher’s knife. She used the blade to slowly bring Alice’s skirt higher and higher, up to the apex of her thighs.

“Let’s make the first chop here.”

He could wait no longer to act. Seeing the flash of a blade so close to Alice’s flesh had him moving on instinct. Firing Ivory, her bullet slammed into the blade and sent it flying from the Duchess’s hand and across the room where it skidded across the floor. “You’re an ugly one,” he commented. “I’ve seen a lot in my time but you’ve gotta top my list of nasties.”

The Duchess recoiled from his attack and, one glance down at Alice showed that her eyes were wide with terror. She struggled against the straps that bound her, obviously not giving up on her freedom easily. Though he barely had time for the thought, he respected her for the struggle—it meant she wasn’t entirely mad.

The Duchess returned to the table, using it as a barrier between Dante and herself. Her bony fingers clamped over Alice's mouth, muffling her cries for help as her body thrashed on the table.

**"My, My... With proper seasoning wouldn't you make a handsome dish."** The Duchess grinned as she reached under the table to produce a new weapon for herself.

A pepper grinder. Because what else would she have in a kitchen. Her grip tightened on Alice's head, slamming it into the table with enough force to render the girl unconscious. Now both her hands were free to operate the pepper grinder, which shot bullets of peppercorns.

At least she was creative. The Hunter had to give her that.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, running to dodge her peppercorn attack. Sure his body could regenerate and take a large amount of damage but he still preferred the version of his life where he didn't have to constantly heal himself. Keeping Ebony and Ivory trained on the fat bitch, he smirked. "I don't think you have enough seasoning in your arsenal to make me a tasty treat, hag. I wouldn't mind practicing my knife skills on your flesh however."

He maneuvered them around the room, working her in a path until he had Alice's unconscious form behind him and the gluttonous monster in front of him. Protecting Alice came first, destroying the Duchess came second. He wasn’t going to trade one life for the other.

His opponents yellowed teeth grinned at him in a maniacal smile and he exchanged his guns for Rebellion. "Let's get this over with, bitch."

The Duchess huffed, large eyes glancing around the room for a better weapon. Her pepper grinder would do little against a blade of that magnitude. Despite being in a kitchen, it was rather bare, save for the boiling pot in the fireplace and the table with the unconscious girl. The demonic woman hissed and cranked on the pepper mill again, quite literally peppering the room with her seasoned ammo in a desperate attempt to regain the upper hand.

Pity for her however that her aim was shit. **"Aa-choo!"** It seemed Alice was right about the pepper deal. The grotesque woman had herself in a sneezing fit, the smell of the pepper tickling her nose. Her ridiculously little hands uselessly wiped at her bizarrely large nose before tossing the grinder to the side. Glancing up at the Hunter, she found that they’d both moved yet again and he was positioned in a far worse spot. The fireplace was now directly behind him, leaving him open for attack. Grinning, she picked up her skirts and let out a snarl as she charged straight for him.

Taking a couple of steps backwards, Dante could feel the heat of the fireplace at his back and knew he was in a bad position. He only had one option for escaping the charging bull of a beast after him. She was too big for him to leap to either of his sides which left him a single method of escape. At the last possible second, he dropped Rebellion and leapt into the air, his hands grasping for a hold on anything, praying that they would find purchase in something. He heaved a sigh of gratitude as they found a pipe and wrapped tight around it’s metallic surface, his legs lifting to allow the monstrous woman to pass.

Underneath him, the Duchess had built up enough momentum that she was unable to stop herself from tumbling into the fireplace. Her skirts, thick and heavy with grease and blood, caught fire quickly and the scent of burning flesh soon wafted into the air. In a desperate attempt to save herself, she grabbed the edge of Dante's coat and tried to drag him down into the fire with her.

Dropped from the pipe, he shoved her into the fireplace with his foot while he bent to pick up his discarded sword. Her hand still clutched his coat and he sliced it cleanly at the wrist, freeing himself from her grasp. Her shrieks were shrill and piercing as she burned up in the fire, her flesh melting from her bones.

When her screams finally died with the rest of her, Dante took inventory of himself. His boot was slightly burnt but he was much angrier about the singed edge of his red trench coat. "Disgusting cunt," he spit before returning to the table with Alice on it.

Carefully, he cut her wrists and her ankles free. "C'mon sweetheart..wake up for me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review! I'm loving all the silent support I'm getting but how about some lovely feedback?!


	6. Alice

_“Run Alice!”_

_“Get out Alice!”_

Her head was pounding with pain, throbbing and pulsing in time with the beats of her heart. Her body was at odds as to how else to feel. Was she heavy? She felt as if the world sat upon her chest, pushing down on her lungs, holding her by her arms. Yet, there was lightness. As if, were the weight of the world not seated upon her chest, she would simply float away, not unlike a helium filled balloon. The conflicting feeling did little for her head.

Nor did the smell of smoke.

_“Alice!”_ Where was she? And where were they? She was trying to find them. They had to be close, she could hear them so clearly! Screaming, crying out for her, hissing as the heat grew around her… but she saw nothing but darkness. It had to be the smoke, it had to be cloaking her vision. She could wipe it away… If only she could raise her arm. Their shrieks were so loud, a cacophonous sound in her ear… But her body could do no more to reach them. She felt her fingers twitch, her knees ached from how she lay upon… Something. It was no wonder that Wonderland had fallen into such a state, its Champion lay in ruins herself.

Her mind was slowly pulling itself out of the haze, still humming from the force of the hit. Walking would prove to be an issue no doubt. But she would have to get through her other senses first.

The smell of the fire reached her first. Something singed, something metallic. That smell of hot, rusted pennies that curled like fingers along her throat, smothering the air from her lungs.

_“Alice, What have you done?!”_

Horrified green eyes flashed open, her body practically leaping off the table, before she could even realize it was there. A leg slipped off the side, her fingers fumbling for leverage, something to launch her into action. The fire, it was all around her, but she heard them. She could hear them, and she could save them this time! She wouldn’t use the window! She had to get them first. All she had to do was get them…

"Mother! Father!...Lizzie..." Her hand grasped at nothing. Her hand barely visible in front of her face, the blurry digits left fumbling in the air. The tears were already cutting down her cheeks as she felt herself slip from the the hard surface beneath her, her legs a twisted mess as she crumpled down beside the table.

For all her blurry vision, the sobs racking her chest, all she could see was red. Splotches stained the walls like flames, the ground beneath her scorched black. Her fingers traced along the grungy tiles beneath her, soot smearing off on her fingers and… Was that ground pepper? The seasoning was thick in the air, tickling at her nostrils. She heard a vague commotion, a shadow cast itself into the room. Mcgill stumbled in seconds later, quickly assuming what had transpired. "Well. Soup's on."

Soup? Alice stared at the blurry blackness beneath her. There was fire in the corner, just beyond her field of vision. She could hear the crackling, she could smell the flames. Someone was scoffing."If you consider eating that, you are one sick fuck."

“Father…?”

Another voice sprung up instead, the cockney accident grating to her ears."I'm 'alf tempted to. Eye for an eye and all that."Mcgill chuckled, tentatively stepping into the room. If he had a proper nose, it would be wrinkled at the stench. " I'll 'ave to blow it sky 'igh. No way to paint over the smell."

A figure, who was not her father, knelt alongside her, red coat slumping, brushing against her fingers. Alice felt the smell of smoke and...Something more. A sickening smell that was one part charcoal, one part acetic, so strong that it was almost a taste in her mouth. She cringed away from the smell, and the body it belonged to. "Hey, you're okay. She didn't get you. That disgusting smell in the air is all that remains of the corpulent bitch, Alice."

The bitch? A cruel word for her mother, a crueler word for her dear Lizzie...Oh her dear Lizzie. How could she fail her own sister. Her room was so close…

_“Help me Alice!”_

Before the memory could pull her under, she heard the telltale ticking of familiar clockwork. Her porcelain bunny was back in her grip, trembling much like its owner. Her fingers clung to it all the tighter. It was real. In the depths of her madness, this rabbit was real. A figure crossed the room to place a three finger hand grasped at her shoulder.

"Come now Love, all is well now. The ‘ag is dead." That was Mcgill...She remembered Mcgill. He was there… he was there before.. Before the darkness closed in. She heard Mcgill sigh, his fingers releasing her shoulder "It's the fire what's doing it. Can you clear 'er out of 'ere?”

The red clad figure nodded, and her mind pulled itself itself out a little bit further from the darkness. Dante. Dante was here? Didn’t he have Wonderland to save? She blinked her eyes, wishing she had the strength to pry her hands from her rabbit to wipe at the tears stinging her eyes. Squinting, she witnessed him dig into his coat pocket. Pulling out his lighter, he offered it to the creature. "I've got an extra. Figure you could use this. Wait to light up until we've left."

Mcgill muttered some sort of show of gratitude, pocketing the lighter as Dante shifted. Sliding his coat from his shoulders, he wrapped it around her frail form. His hands smelled that same invasive smell, and it only served to have her bones shaking like a leaf. Bundling her up, he picked her up, cradling her legs and her back as he held her to his chest.

"See ya later Mcgill. Thanks," She felt him nod.

Alice remained in her silent hell, as Dante trekked their way back through the remains barely aware of Dante's presence. Just aware of movement. Away from the crackling of wood, the smell of smoke, and flickering reds and oranges. Her breath slowly returned to a normal pace, though a soft cough would escape her every now and then as the Bayou gave way to a..

Gods, where were they now?

The oranges and reds and the smeared blacks faded to greys and metallics blues, and the smell of charcoal and pepper faded to the scent of wet grass and rainfall. There was a gentle lapping as the brook expanded itself before them.

Dreary lake. Her mind wearily answered.

Alice clung to that thread. Madness or not, she knew this location, It wasn’t on fire. It was water. Water wasn’t on fire. It was impossible, even for Wonderland. She was by a lake, and it was safe, because a lake couldn’t catch on fire. She used to be so fond of lakes, her Lizzie simply adored them. She always put them by the Thames when it was time for her reading lessons.

Though her lessons never came with so many anthills...And a bored Cheshire cat batting at one from the safety of a rock.

"Is our situation not dismal? Wonderland is so discombobulated that even ants have turned belligerent and enlisted in the Red Queen's army." The Cheshire cat looked to Dante, then gaze fell to his arms, where she struggled for the courage to meet his gaze dead on, his expression softening."There's a familiar sight. Did discussions with the Duchess go as planned?"

He was being gentle. Maybe he didn’t hate her this time. "A-Army?"

"This is a war, is it not?"

Dante shrugged, her body swaying softly in his arms."Duchess and I disagreed on how we liked our food prepared. She preferred hers alive--I preferred her dead." Alice felt herself smile. A lingering thought wondered if it was even visible upon her lips. It tugged at that lifeline further. That was funny. Dante was… Funny, she supposed. He had some wit about him… Better than herself. Maybe he could truly save her Wonderland...

Dante walked them over to the grinning cat, and she looked down at the decimated anthills. The query was clear in his tone. "Who's this Queen you're talkin' about?"

"Do you have the strength to explain, Alice?" Chesh was no longer bantering with her, instead cooing to her, with a queer gentleness in his voice that was usually absent. It made her feel no longer like the tormented nineteen year old she was supposed to be. More like she were a lost child, being carried out of the woods.

It served as another tug. And next Alice expelled a heavy breath, it felt as if that weight had finally shifted. The blurry edges of her reality began to firm and crisp up. Alice chewed on her bottom lip, glancing down to the ants as well. She pressed closer to Dante, if only to gain her strength to stand on her own two feet again. The rabbit ticked away. "She's worse than Duchess…” Because that’s who it had been. Not home… Not then, not them, It was just Duchess and her spices and her foul appetite. “Makes her look like a butterfly."

"And equally easy to squash as it seems." Chesh batted at the anthill, until the hole was exposed. Alice cringed wobbling upon her feet as they found purchase in the ground beneath her. Dante kept his hand upon her back, placed between her shoulder blades as a brace. His palm was burning hot, she could feel its heat through the foreign coat--his coat. She must have looked a terrible sight. She was so petite that his coat was dragging on the ground and could probably wrap around her twice more!

Just keep talking. Talking was helping. Even though her throat and lung burned for the effort."She owned Wonderland before... Before I first came here. I was..I was just little...But I ruined everything for her." She forced herself to suck in another deep breath then, and held it. Until her lungs stung for the effort, and then expelled it once again. Clarity was trickling in, slowly but surely. "I dethroned her once. But it seems in my absence she's taken over again."

"And still crying out for your head. Except now she's building an army to do it.” Cheshire punctuated his sentences with vicious bats to the anthills, his claws tearing through Earth, and slashing at ants as they appeared. “She won't underestimate you again."

Dante spoke then,"If she's building an army, it seems that you might want to do the same Alice. If Wonderland is yours, you need to take it back from her. What kind of army has she got Chesh? If it's built entirely of ants, I'm not too worried."

Alice found herself toying with the lapel of the coat, shifting the rabbit in her arms. It was such a childish comfort. Back in the real world she had some battered stuffed rabbit she would often cling to instead. Somehow, despite the lack of stuffing, the ticking was an added comfort.

"I lack the list. That would be Caterpillar's domain. Luckily for you his land is not too far away..." Alice chewed on her lip, leaned over slightly to glance down the ant hole. It was a long way to Caterpillars. And ironically, the larger they were, the longer the journey would take.

Her weary mind whirled. If only they could get smaller..

"But we're the wrong size... Aren't we?" Cheshire did nod, and vaguely gestured down the hole. Alice was silent for a spell, playing with the ears of the rabbit. "Don't happen to know where I can find a shrinking potion do you?" Chesh shifted, stretching out his skeletal body atop his perch. His tail curling like smoke upon the water flicking it up with a grand flourish to reveal a slender bottle now perched alongside him filled with blue liquid. 'Drink me' was inscribed along the face of it.

"Luckily for you, I deliver."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the week delay! Things are getting le crazy on my end. Family issues and the like, So going forward updates may be on a biweekly schedule--Just a heads up!
> 
> And remember dears, leave us some lovely, nasty, or just plain flirty comments. Any and all feedback is appreciated!


	7. Dante

Dante stared down at the little vial, shaking his head. "Aw hell...I'm not getting paid enough for this." He swore that the cat's grin grew at his statement. He'd seen plenty of evil in his time but nothing seemed worse to him in that moment than the little bottle begging for someone to wrap their lips around the rim. It wasn’t that he was opposed to drinking—he enjoyed the bottom of a bottle as much as any other guy. It was more the fact that this was Wonderland. He’d just witnessed the damage a peppercorn could do. He wasn’t eager to learn about the damage of the beverages here.

With a deep sigh, he bent over and picked up the bottle. Holding it out for Alice, he wrinkled his nose slightly. "Ladies first sweetheart." Perhaps not the bravest of moves but he was no fool. He was the outsider amongst them. If Alice drank first, he’d know it wasn’t poisoned.

Not that putting his money on the girl everyone thought to be insane was all that bright either.

However, it was all worth it for what happened next. It was small but, with a gentle upturn of her lips, Alice offered him a smile. It was followed by a soft chuckle, the sound like a melody as she took the bottle from his outstretched hand, her green eyes meeting his briefly. Cheshire tilted his head slightly, his manic grin dissolving into a more genuinely pleased smile.

"It tastes like sweets, if you're concerned." She offered as consolation or perhaps, as comfort, trying to make him feel better about ingesting something entirely foreign. Bringing the bottle to her lips, she flicked her head back to consume half the contents before handing it off to her partner.

"Head through the colony, Caterpillar's realm should be somewhere down there. You know what to look for," Cheshire instructed. Alice nodded, before hiccups over took her thin body. She grasped at her chest, wincing with the first one. By the second, she fell to her knees. And with the third, she vanished from sight. "Do mind your step not to trod on her." Cheshire warned Dante, before vanishing himself.

Watching Alice shrink, Dante blew out a deep breath. Looking into the bottle at the liquid it contained, he tried to keep in mind what Alice had said. "Sweets. Right. Bottoms up," he muttered before tossing back the rest of it like a shot.

At first, he was certain that it hadn't worked. There were a great many things that didn’t work on him. Shots, stitches, tattoos—the list went on and on. He wouldn’t be surprised if he grew instead of shrunk with how opposite his body was. Though, how terrifying would he be if he grew above his near seven foot stature?

His thoughts were quickly interrupted when the first hiccup escaped his chest. He understood the wincing now—it felt as if his very ribs were shifting. On second thought, he realized that was precisely what they were doing. All of the bones in his body were shifting and soon, he had to fight the urge to fall to his knees as Alice had out of fear that he would crush her should he fall. By the third hiccup, he was feeling much better and much, much smaller. Alice stood before him and the grass around them was well above his head. Looking at his partner, he grimaced. "That was....unsettling, at best. Ready?"

“It’s worse when we have to grow up,” she retorted, blinking at the obvious double meaning in her words. Lifting her emerald eyes, she looked over the blades of grass before continuing.

"Just... need to go down into an ant hole. We'll have to find a teapot. Probably through the mountain with our luck."

Yes, because those instructions made a lot of sense. However, Dante was quickly learning that nothing in this world made sense and it was best to just roll with it. He had to wonder though—was this what Fortuna seemed like to normal humans? A jumble of creatures that didn’t seem to follow rhyme or reason?

He watched as Alice brushed her hair out of her face and to one side, running her fingers through it like the nervous girl she was as she made wary steps towards the ant hill. It had been utterly destroyed by Cheshire’s slashing claws. Bodies of soldier ants lay scattered around them. He hadn't just been destroying something at random. He had been clearing them a path.

"Mangy cat. I don't know what I'd do without him,” she whispered.

Dante followed Alice as she tracked along the path Cheshire had made, marveling at the bodies of the ants around them. He’d never really given much thought to the tiny creatures, except to think of them as a nuisance. Now, he would never look at them the same way again.

Perhaps that was because these ants were wearing helmets and carrying weapons when they were killed. He wondered if the ants in Fortuna looked the same, upon further inspection. It was something to look into, if he ever returned home.

"So...this Queen. Is she our size? I mean, our normal size? Or is she...miniature?" He asked, following after his companion, smiling at the way she traversed the land. A gentle push of a blade of grass here, a hop over a seed there, her nose wrinkling the entire time as if she were displeased. He wondered if she disliked being this small. She was already plenty tiny—perhaps it wasn’t any fun for her to have grown smaller.

When they got up to the hole in the anthill, she sat down and swung her legs over the edge before answering his question.

"I...don't truly remember. I've grown and shrunk so much here that I hardly remember what size is real anymore. Either way, small or not the size of her trouble is all encompassing." Tucking her blade away, she leaned over the hole and seemed to be bracing herself, gathering up the courage to drop her body down. She stilled however, shifting her gaze to Dante.

"B-Back there." Alice cleared her throat. "You saved my life. Thank you..." Even though the girl seldom seemed to care whether she lived or died, at least she was grateful for the effort.

Coming to sit on the edge of the anthill with her, he shrugged, as if saving her life was nothing. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going to let you die Alice. No matter what you put me through while I am here, you're not going to die while you're with me." He swung his legs into the hole, stealing a glance down at his burnt boot. "Besides, I really didn't like the look of you on that table. Quartered for a pig of woman--it just doesn't suit you."

Looking down into the hole, he got ready to slide through. "Let's do this," he said with a grin before dropping down. His knees felt the impact as he landed and looked back up, waiting for Alice to drop down to his level. She dropped down soon after he did, landing gracefully on her feet.

“The sooner we get out of here, the better,” the girl murmured, her face illuminated by mushrooms that dotted their path. The light was eerie, a bizarre yellowish-green that made her pale skin glow an unhealthy color.

"I couldn't agree more," Dante muttered, his hands resting against the grips of Ebony and Ivory. He felt comfortable in dark spaces but the mushrooms were a little off putting. His blue eyes nearly glowed in the dark, the demon blood in his veins kicking in to adjust his sight to his new surroundings. "Let's find this caterpillar, learn about the Queen's army, and get the hell out of here."

As they walked, Alice sank her blade into a nearby mushroom, cutting off a chunk and carrying it in her hand like a makeshift flashlight. The light didn’t travel far but it was better than nothing. As they wandered the twists and turns of the path, she suddenly stopped, pointing ahead at something in the dark. “There’s Rabbit! He said he was off to see Caterpillar! Rabbit, Rabbit!” She called, giving chase. “RABBIT!”

The tunnel shuddered as she all but screamed the name. Something fell behind them, and there was a distinct sound of something rolling ever closer. Alice paled in the odd light, a look of terror washing over her face. “Oh bloody hell.”

Hearing Alice’s curse, he looked over his shoulder but knew that standing there and waiting wasn’t exactly the best option. It didn’t matter what was coming after them—what mattered more was getting away from it!

Scooping Alice up into his arms, he ran off in the direction Rabbit had gone. “Help me keep an eye out for that little bastard! I’ll try to keep us ahead of whatever that is.”

"Meep,” was Alice’s only reply as she shifted in his arms to look over his shoulder. “Oh me and my blood gob,” she muttered, giving him no indication of what was chasing after them. Rabbit seemed to know though as he had doubled his speed from earlier, pushing farther and farther ahead of the both of them.

"Alice? What's behind us?" He asked, increasing his speed so that he was running as fast as he could. Daring a glance over his other shoulder, he spotted what she’d seen. Mud was pouring down the walls, falling faster and faster towards the rest of them, coming in the form of a large glob of a wave. He knew Alice wasn’t the type to be afraid of a little mud on her dress so it was easy to come to the real conclusion.

The tunnel was collapsing around them.

"Oh, you've gotta be shitting me!" He knew that there was absolutely no way he could outrun that mud in this form. It was picking up speed, the whole system falling down around them far faster than he could possibly outrun. He'd really been hoping to avoid this particular maneuver but it seemed to be his only choice.

"Hold tight," he warned the girl in his arms. In the dark of the tunnels, he felt safe allowing his demonic blood to take over. Black skin replaced what had previously merely been kissed by the sun. Red eyes flashed where warm sapphires had been. And his speed? Well, that quadrupled in a heartbeat, easily catching him up to Rabbit in the blink of an eye.

Of course, when Rabbit turned to look behind him, all he saw was a near seven foot demon giving chase with a girl crumpled against his chest and the entirety of the tunnel collapsing behind him. He let out a little yelp of fear and tried to push his own speed, eager to escape the terror following him. Luckily for all of them he had the map of these tunnels memorized. Even as horrified as he was, he knew where to turn and which quick turns would lead them further down the proper path.

Just when Dante thought he could catch Rabbit, the creature dove down a hidden tunnel with a slide that catapulted the lot of them outside. They landed in a land vastly different from the marsh where they had entered. This was a red wasteland, from the Earth up to the sky. Alice was flung from Dante’s grip by the force of their landing and slid through the red dirt until her momentum finally ran out.

"Rabbit!" Her voice halted him, turning around to face the two.

"W-what-huh?!" He blinked, and then pointed his paw at Dante. "What in the devils has happened to you?!"

"Accurate choice of words," the Hunter grunted. With a shudder, he allowed the transformation to fall away until he was back in his natural form, his skin tanned but no where near as dark as it had been, and his eyes cerulean once more. Transforming had zapped some of his energy and he found himself breathing heavily, something he very rarely did. Sweat dripped from his temples as he ambled over to his companion and offered her a lift to her feet. She pulled away at once, her eyes drifting over him with a touch of fear reflected in the depths of those shining emeralds. Her hand held her blade ready, as if she expected him to attack. However, Rabbit was quick to interrupt the awkward silence that had fallen between them.

"Oh Alice, it isn’t as if that is the weirdest thing you've seen all day. I'm over it now,” he informed Dante, tapping his foot on the ground. “It was a shock to see you barreling after me though, a simple calling would have sufficed."

Alice still did not budge, emerald orbs searching cerulean ones, as if she would find the real answer behind his eyes. Dante was used to it—he just had been hoping to hide it from her.

Rabbit sighed. "Come now. When those demons had run you through with their teeth I recall you turning a different color as well. Stab her, if you don't believe me. You two are of similar makes I'm sure,” he murmured to Dante, sounding entirely impatient and over the matter.

Rabbit’s words bolstered the Hunter, making him more and more sure that he had been right to pull his trigger at that moment. The majority of people who saw that form didn't live to speak of it and the few people he had cared about in his lifetime didn't have to know about it.

He wasn’t really sure if he wanted Alice in either of those categories.

Slowly, he raised his hands to the side, showing that he wasn't touching any of his weapons. He spread his fingers wide so that she could see the details of his fingerless gloves, could see that he aimed to be the least threatening he possibly could be. She was wearing his coat so the majority of his weapons were open for anyone to view. He was raising a symbolic white flag, his eyes never leaving hers. Those emerald eyes that held so much fear and yet, so much tenacity. She was broken but she wouldn't go down without a fight and he could see those embers of life growing stronger.

"I have no intention of harming you Alice. I told you when we shrunk...I'm not going to let you die. I'm going to protect you. That's what I felt it took in that moment. If what Rabbit is saying is true, that we are similar, feel free to do your worst. Shove your blade through me, shoot me with my own guns, stick that ticking rabbit of yours in my gut. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here to help you get Wonderland back."

"Caterpillar's place is tucked just beyond that tree,” Rabbit interrupted. As always, he was ever pressed for time. Seemingly, he was the one creature in Wonderland to realize time was short. While Alice and Dante had their stand off, he began to dart across the red dust, moving through dried reeds and into the open space. Alice did little else but stare at Dante, mouth opening and shutting uselessly.

Then the ground shook violently. Rhythmically. Given their size, it could have been anything. But it made itself known, a great shadow falling over all of them. Another tremor had Alice tumbling back onto her backside, finally breaking her eye contact with Dante to look up at the source of the shadow. A man in a tailored suit and top hat stood as tall as a mountain before them. But he paid no mind, walking through the red valley...Which in proper scale was just a simple bit of flattened trail.

Rabbit was toppled by the force as well. A misstep had him sprawled out on the ground. Barely halfway across the wasteland, the last thing he would see was the shadow of a shoe before he was crushed.

Any attempt to scream on the creature’s part had been cut short, but it was continued by Alice. And the giant simply moved on, oblivious to the entire murder. "R-RABBIT!"

Dante stood frozen, staring at the grotesque scene, his eyes moving to watch the giant man stroll away. His top hat was huge, even in comparison to what was surely a standard size human and it sat off-kilter on his head. When the suited man was out of sight, he turned his gaze back to the spot where Rabbit's remains lay on the dusty red ground, his blood clumping the bits of red earth around him.

Taking a step towards the deceased creature and Alice, he spoke softly. "Alice...we have to go. Rabbit was right. We need to get moving."

The young girl slowly stood up and crossed the empty plane, her feet aimed towards her friend. No tears stained her cheeks, despite the terror written clearly upon her face. Her blade shuddered into the form of her rabbit for a brief moment, as if to comfort her. She dropped the weapon however and darted away from it as if it had burned her hand. Her thin form was trembling and still, she struggled to form the words. Her mouth was simply agape, as if stuck silently screaming.

Reaching Rabbit’s side, she fell for a third time upon the tundra. Her hand tentatively reached out and stroked a flattened ear.

"I...I'm cursed." She muttered without emotion, though her pain and grief were clear in her eyes. "Everything I love dies violently...unnaturally. Why did I think I could do this, I'll only hurt others..."

Pushing a hand through his silvered hair, Dante stared down at the girl, unsure of what to do for her. He'd never been a very comforting person and he was terrible when it came to tears. Maybe that's why he could deal with Alice...she wasn't actually crying. She was upset but even when she had cried, it wasn't the kind of blubbering he was used to out of the female half of the race. It was silent and cleansing.

Carefully, nervous that the thing would shock him, he picked up her rabbit and kneeling next to her, resting his forearms on his knees. "Alice, that was in no way your fault. Rabbit was here of his own accord. Just as that man was passing through of his own volition. You had nothing to do with either instance. It's a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Standing, he looked down at Rabbit’s remains one more time before scanning the horizon. "If you really want to honor your friend, then you will take his last words wisely. He said we had to hurry and find the Caterpillar. He wanted us to get going. We need to finish this mission and take back Wonderland. For you, for your friends. For Rabbit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeez, Has it been forever or what, Sorry about that! Life got crazy on my end. Family illnesses and all that fun whatnot. Hopefully I got a grasp on it now and can return to my usual schedule. Thank you in advance for your patience. Don't forget to leave me some lovely comments~


	8. Alice

Rabbit was dead.

His body lay bloody before her, limbs mangled and flattened, blood seeping through the Earth. Clothes trampled with dirt, imprinted with the sole patterns of the careless foot that had galumphed through the valley. This was why she walked with care through gardens and grassy area back home. Those thoughtless steps… What was a mere stroll for them, could be devastating for those below.

_“Oh I’m late, I’m late!”_

_“Alice, Alice we’re late for tea.”_

“Rabbit…” It wasn’t real. None of this was real. It was just a horrible dream... It was just his clothes! It couldn’t be Rabbit. Her friend. her dear, dear friend. Her Rabbit. Her fingers shook as she extended her reach to the fallen creature--so foreign to her. Her Rabbit didn’t look like this. He was full of life and always a twitching mess. His face didn’t know how to be this still...His bones were never that flat, and his nose...

“Rabbit...Rabbit get up… You’re going to be late…” Her fingers brushed at his lapel, uncaring that they came back slick with blood, she tugged on the collar gently. ”Rabbit… It’s time for tea…” She needed his watch. Rabbit needed his watch! Then he could see, he could see that it was late, and he would inflate himself, brush off all the blood, and start on his frantic journey again.  
But the mangled body before her remained still.

"It's all my fault." She heard a muffled mumbling behind her. But it was outside her realm of comprehension. She knew Dante was there, but she repeated the phrase several times under her breath regardless. She could scarce look at him, but didn't flinch away when his presence approached her further.

He couldn’t be gone. But he was. It wasn’t real… But it was.

"It's my fault Wonderland is like this. I let it get this way. This business should have been put to rest. I should have been doing this two years ago. But I just sat idle." Her vision blurred further, but she did not feel the few tears that escaped her.

_And so doing the same would spare the others?_

Alice nodded compliantly, uncertain if the words had been spoken, or if it just been all in her head. A funny thing, really, wasn't this all supposed to be in her head. Wonderland… It was just a dream. Just like in Rutledge. When she had tea with Rabbit down the river Thames, and his head blew off.

It was just a dream.

None of this was real.

It was with that notion that Alice numbly pulled herself to her feet. Her broken gaze met her companion briefly, enough to catch the pity in his gaze before hanging her head. She made no move for her clockwork rabbit, not even to regain her blade. Dante was their new champion now. She was no better than... _Her_ . "Rabbit said Caterpillar was just beyond the tree. We should get there before nightfall."  
He nodded, silently leading her towards the tree she'd gestured to. Her rabbit dangled idly from his fingertips and he kept it in the hand closest to her so that she could grab it at any time if she wished. Her hand brushed along her rabbit once or twice, recoiling each time. A thing of comfort, now she was scared to touch it. She killed him, she was certain of it. This mess could have been over with if she hadn't dawdled, if she didn't cause the tunnel to collapse, if she didn't stand there trying to will herself to hate Dante. But... She found herself thankful for the small kindness, whatever it meant. What did he think of her? Walking away from the fallen body of her friend? A fool? A monster? A mad bitch? Did he think her emotionless, or did he note that those burning embers in her eyes had died a little with Rabbit.  
It didn't matter. He was the key to making it all fit together now . She just hoped that the Caterpillar would be useful to them.

As they walked, she vaguely noticed that Dante’s steps were slower than before, falling in time with her, even though it lengthened their journey across what was a narrow pathway to anyone of normal size. "So, time does pass in Wonderland. You said we'd get to Caterpillar before nightfall." He paused then, as if mulling over his words, or maybe ensuring she was listening. She lifted her head weakly, and met his gaze dead on. "Do you sleep while you're here, Alice?"

Alice rubbed at her eyes. Unsure if they were itchy from the smoke earlier or just trying to rid herself of the tears.

Wonderland was getting the champion it deserved. She had to be happy. He could save them. He was strong, he didn't care. All she caused was death and suffering...

"Some days last longer than others. But it's equal to time in the real world." At least, that had been how it worked in the past. Days spent in Wonderland, and she would awaken to find herself in the garden once more, Lizzie rolling her eyes down at her.

_"There you are Alice, back from Wonderland? How’s the Queen?"_

Pain filled her heart, Her fingers slowly working through her silken locks. Her gaze was downcast, only focused on the next step she had to take, as if each one was a struggle. "I cannot sleep, but I grow exhausted, I cannot eat, yet I am starving. No different than the Asylum... No food for naughty patients."

He didn’t look at her this time, his gaze was straight forward… But his jaw tightened. She had upset him. No surprised. "Well, with me things are going to be different. You don't have to sleep but we are going to rest. If we're going to be fighting a war, I won't have you doing it exhausted. I don't know what is edible in Wonderland but we'll find something. You need to eat so that you can be strong and fight the Queen. You aren't a patient here, Alice. You're a Princess and a Warrior. It's time we took care of you like one."

Alice nodded, but she didn't take the words to heart. It didn't matter what she did now. The damage was done. If Wonderland needed her to do it alone they would have pushed her harder, they wouldn't have let her piss around like she did. But no, they found him instead. Like Rabbit said, they were of the same make. Perhaps he was close enough to being like her to do the trick. They were nearing the tree and Alice could catch a whiff of sweet smelling smoke on the wind. If she were in any better spirits, she would roll her eyes at the sweet, spiced smoke drifting through the air. Familiar, but nothing like the scent of burning word and charred bodies. Over the horizon, she could just barely catch a glimpse of smoke rings rising up into the sky where they dissipated. Vague letters spreading through the sky.. But her mind hadn’t the strength to string them together to decode the words.

Alice forced herself over a tree root, finding herself at the source of the smoke. A giant teapot. Well, normal sized, if they weren't so shrunk down. Green and Chinese in style, the sweet smoke came bellowing out of the cast iron spout in short bursts. It just so happened the spout was rather close to the root. Just enough that if Alice jumped with enough force she could tumble down into the depths of it.  
She craved her rabbit, but wrapped her arms around herself instead. She didn't deserve comforts. Wonderland had its second champion. She had to make sure he survived. "Inside that I suppose. At least we'll be protected."

Dante’s steps faltered behind her, a soft groan emitted from him. Muttering under his breath, he came to stand on the root behind Alice. "What happens in Wonderland, stays in Wonderland.” He moved in front of her then, and she noted the reluctance in his eyes. But his finger less gloves laced together regardless, crouching down at the knee. “Up you go, sweetheart."  
She obeyed.

The world inside the teapot was vastly different than the exterior. Alice wasn't sure why she had expected it to match. This was Wonderland. It never did. Water ran beneath her feet underneath bamboo platforms, a sweet perfumed smell. Of course. The water was tea. The rock formations were littered with oriental structures. Caterpillar would be perched in a temple no doubt. Smoking greedily from his hookah.  
Alice took a few steps, just enough to hop onto the wooden path, glancing around at what should have been the walls of the tea pot. No such walls. Only a grey mix of clouds, and kanji raining from the sky.  
"Better than I hoped." Alice slumped against the archway, waiting for Dante to join her, after his own tumble through the spout. They were most certainly safe in here. It figured. Caterpillar held all the answers to Wonderland. He had to be heavily guarded.

Her gaze traveled around at the structures surrounding them, as she took hesitant steps along the bamboo docks, the reeds chiming like deer scares around them. "So...Caterpillar seems like a ritzy guy, eh? I mean...no one else seemed to have digs like this. He takes better care of his place than Duchess did."  
He had turned into a chatterbox again.

But he deserved to have all the answers he sought. Goodness knows, he deserved to be better educated than her. "He's an Oracle. The only creature in Wonderland who would know what it is we have to do to save it. He ran the rebellion when I first came into Wonderland." Alice chuckled, but it was a hollow, empty sound." It had seemed easier then, even though I was only a child...I was six when Wonderland first called for me." A six year old defender. No wonder Wonderland was in such a shit state now.

Smoke rings poured out of a temple at the top of the hill. Alice shuddered and hung her head again. Caterpillar will not be pleased to see her, not so late in the game.  
Dante paused then, his large body turning so that it blocked her path. Her feet stopped obediently, before she could stumble into him. His large hand covered one of hers, gently but quickly prying her fingers open. She hadn't even noticed she had been clutching them, but the tiny nicks from fingernails were no lie. "Don't. I'm no expert on Wonderland but where I'm from, blood is an easy way to be tracked. If you make yourself bleed, anyone can sniff you out. Better not to make ourselves targets, let alone sitting ducks, agreed?"

Alice shuddered at the contact. It grounded her a lot faster than the pain did. Was she disgusted by his touch?

_“Come now Alice…”_

No... It was just...different. Alice nodded again, sparing no other words until they finally entered the temple. It was a largely vacant place, the oriental theme continued.

_"Ah, Alice. You finally return. Better late than never."_

A large humanoid caterpillar sat perched on a myriad of cushions, smoking from his trademark hookah. Caterpillar took a deep inhale from his hookah, offering a nod to Dante. "Dante. It seems we were right in seeking you out. More progress has been made in this one day than this girl has done in two years." Alice winced, shying away from them. Caterpillar sighed, smoke bellowing out of his mouth.

"It was not meant as a barb to sting you, Alice. It is truth. Embrace it and learn." Alice remained still and silent. He thought her a lost cause too? No surprise. "You disposed of Duchess, no small feat itself. But more is needed. Wonderland's fate is nearly sealed, the odds tipped in the Red Queen's favor."

Dante didn't even back down, and why would he? He stood straight and tall as he answered. "Cheshire told us that you know of the army the Queen is building. If I am to help Wonderland, I need to better understand what I am up against." Looking down at her, he added quietly, "We both do. If Alice is to gain back what is rightfully hers, she will need her own army, will she not?"

What a fool...Didn’t he see what this was all about?

He was her replacement, not her guide!

Caterpillar looked over Dante, as if assessing his strengths and weaknesses. Alice shifted nervously from one foot to another. "Alice.”--That gaze was on her!--“Go outside and drink the water. Your trauma will only hasten the death of Wonderland. The tea will help you regain your grasp." With that all seeing gaze set upon her through the haze of hookah smoke, there was no room for question or argument. Only for her head to nod in affirmation, and turn upon her heel. Once upon a time, she would have stomped her foot, sass and wit would be quick on her lips.

Not today.

Upon her leave, she paused outside, catching Caterpillar’s sigh. Her body stood masked from view, just beyond one of the grand pillars. Caterpillar’s voice wheezed on. "Her mind is fouled by self-deception. Wracked with guilt because she survived. I fear she will not see the end of this trial. Her pain is far from over." Another inhale of his hookah, an exhale of spiced smoke. That was as much as she needed to hear. Her feet burned on. Retracing their way through Earthy paths, the reeds whispering to one another as she made her way around Caterpillar’s ‘humble’ abode. Her feet mindlessly making the journey.

_"Wracked with guilt because she survived…"_

Guilt didn’t cover it. You felt guilty taking the last slice of cake, or trodding on an anthill by mistake, or the instinct to swat a mosquito, uncaring about if their family would miss them.  
Letting your family burn in a hellfire inferno? That called for more than guilt.

It should have called for death.

“Instead, here I am...Training my replacement…Almost a punishment in itself.” Alice found herself whispering as she found the water’s edge. The pale green waters lapping up against the shore, the scent of jasmine rolling off the waves. Green tea waters...Only in Wonderland. A painful exhale spilled from her lungs. Drink the water, Caterpillar had said. “Could have at least provided me with a teacup.”  
The reeds chuckled around her, parting themselves within the depths of the water. Where leaves had been curled into cone like shapes… Multiple ones. "Ask and ye shall receive… Is Caterpillar branching out?” Would it really surprise her? Even in the depths of her madness, her figments had found other avenues to sustain themselves. Alice was half surprised not to find a cricket manning a small tea shop at the water's end, instead of some giggling reeds with too much time on their… Stems. Grasping one of the coves, Alice dipped it into the sweet smelling waters. “And with tea, comes properties…” She recited, March Hare would be proud.

If he was even still alive.

Her fingers curled around her makeshift cup. “Growing, shrinking… Perhaps Caterpillar will be kind, and it will end my suffering.” Her head tilted back eagerly, consuming the green tea… And felt nothing. She turned her hand over, gazing at the back of her palm. No growth, no shrinkage just...Nothing.

Her next breath came out easier.

Perhaps that was the effect. Her thoughts seemed to settle. A thousand shrieking voices and the vision of Rabbit’s squashed and mangled body fading from the forefront of her mind. She sipped at her drink. The liquid seeming to settle her raw nerves, the life was back in her eyes.

“Just get him through it Alice.” She reminded herself, though it remained to be seen if this too was an effect of the tea. “The sooner Dante saves Wonderland…” Well, It was a mystery as to what would happen. Wonderland was… All in her head. As painful as it was to admit. Angus had told her countless times, Wonderland was full of symbolism and metaphors…

_"Go to Wonderland, Alice…_

He’d have a field day with this, if ever she was to awaken.

The journey back to Caterpillar’s domain was faster than the previous trip. Her footsteps must have been lightened, for caterpillar did not seem to hear her approach. Or at least, did not care to lower his tone for it. "...But such is why we called for you. If all else fails and we lose her completely, at least your strength should be enough to help us to survive."

She rounded the corner in time to see the creature had slumped forward slightly. As if the drugs in the hookah finally engulfed him whole.

Alice shuffled then to Dante's side. Steaming cup of tea held in in her no longer trembling hands. The Hunter for hire seemed to be deep in thought, pale brows furrowed at the now slumbering creature, his expression a mix of contemplation and confusion. "Smokes his brains out, sees illusions, tells the future. He's the closest thing to an Oracle Wonderland can afford. Pitiful, huh?" She was even jesting. Yes, it must have been the tea… Or she was truly that callous."All the royalty of Wonderland is heavily flawed. I'm surprised it still stands..."

He smirked then, nodding to Caterpillar. "Think about it. Wonderland isn't much different than reality in that way. We are all flawed in some way, sweetheart. The ones who rule are the ones who figure out how to turn those flaws into power." Looking up at Caterpillar one last time, he sighed. "Let's stop for the night. We'll head out in the morning. Go ahead--pick a spot you like. We will stay here tonight."

His gaze met hers, those lips twitching into a small, lopsided smile, blue eyes softening in a way that fluttered her insides. "You need some sort of food Alice. Besides foods that change your size, anything to eat in wonderland? I'm doubting you can get pizza delivered," he joked. They were jesting at one another… Was this progress?

Alice sipped at her tea. It didn't make her forget, the scene of Rabbit's death played on repeat in her mind. But her emotions were curbed. She could see the logic in moving on, and tried to will herself to do so. Didn't mean she wasn't pleased to hear that Dante wished to stop for the night. It had all been too much. She needed a breather herself.

She moved through the temple, following the lines of the bamboo until they found themselves in an adjoined room with a window that framed the grey sky, the black and red Kanji still raining down steadily. Mat beds were already set up. Alice cocked an eyebrow. Two of them. Caterpillar must have known. Why wouldn't he? He was an Oracle. She supposed it would have to do, for a night.

She stared down into her cup, before offering it to Dante. "Trade you, for my rabbit."

Dante crossed her then, his hand extending for her shoulder, her body turned away from the contact, as if they were magnets of the same pole. Her gaze dropped, but she could hear his chuckle continue. It…wasn’t sneering. "I'll do you one better. You can have your rabbit, and I'll only have one sip of tea. Then you finish it. Instead, you can get in my right pocket and get me my lighter and my cigarettes."

Oh. Right. His coat. It was still wrapped around her form. That was what he had been reaching for. Her cheeks burned, matching the color of the stolen coat that engulfed her form.

Dante hardly seemed to mind, he sank down upon one of the mats, his back against the wall and his head tilted back, eyes closed. He took her teacup in one hand, holding out her rabbit in the other. She shuffled away in haste, shrugging off the coat as she did so. She didn't want to touch the lighter, and she wasn't cold anyway. Having his coat, he pulled out the cigarettes and the lighter, keeping the latter hidden from her view--Did he know? Mcgill must have told him. Keeping the flame behind his hand, he lit up quickly and took a long drag. Tucking the paraphernalia back into his pocket, he looked at his partner. "Tomorrow we head out to see the Pale Faces, whoever they are. Sound like a plan?"

Alice retreated hastily with her rabbit, flopping down on the other mat. Alice brushed the hem of her dress down over them, meeting her stripped socks. The rabbit ticked softly in her lap, her fingers fussing over it, adjusting the clothes on the explosive toy.

"Pale faces are white chess pieces." She whispered with a hint of a smile. "They're very nice...They hid me from the Queen when I came here two years ago. Never fussed about how long I was taking..." Lot of good that did them all now.

Alice was silent for another spell, though her gaze never left Dante's. There was a question on her lips, and she was struggling to word it. "Dante...They hired you...You don't fear this place...What do you do?"  
His eyes were quick seeming to consider her question. Alice wondered what Angus would think of it. Wonderland was always eager to throw her into backstories and riddles. But Dante? He seemed as reluctant as she. Would the doctor think him a reflection of herself? Or was he simply an anomaly. After all she didn't ask others much about anything pertaining to reality. He drew in another drag. "I own a business. People come to me when they need help getting rid of problems. Most of the people who come to me have a demon problem or need help finding something that has been lost. I'm not sure how Wonderland found me but I won't leave until I finish helping you. It's bad business to leave a job undone." Alice nodded quietly, not wishing to press the matter any further. A demon hunter; no wonder Wonderland sought him out.

A job to be done. That was all she was now.

He was experienced. What was she? Some crazy, suicidal girl who had no business trying to protect anyone. God knows she was terrible at it. She only helped people find their deaths. Never the other way around. She hugged her rabbit close, wishing she was stronger. It had been easy being cocky and proud when they first met. She was pretending Wonderland was simply this way. Ignoring the problem. Wonderland was in shambles, and it was her fault. and now someone else had been dragged under. Wonderland should have been her cross to bear alone. She couldn't even apologize. It was a job to him. Nothing more.  
Her gaze lingered on his cigarette. The scent of burning chemical and nicotine ripping through her tea infused calm. Must everyone smoke? Caterpillar, Mcgee, Duchess, now this creature. It was a theme she wish she could rid herself of.

Perhaps her subconscious needed a reminder. "A fire killed them." She sighed, bringing her knees to her chest."My mother, father... My big sister Elizabeth..."

That seemed to catch him off guard. Pale brows rose, his lips parted slightly, cigarette dangling from pale, full lips. Catching her gaze on his cigarette he sighed, shoulders slumping as he took one last long drag before snubbing it out on the bottom of his boot. The corner of her lips twitched. A silent thank you.

His gaze pinned her then. "And you got out? Of the fire?"

And the pin turned into a stab. The four letter ‘f’ word, which was not an expletive in any sane person’s vocabulary. Alice wasn't sure why she said it. Maybe the smoke was getting to her. Everyone they had encountered today save for Chesh smoked. The fire from Duchess's hellhole still lingered, the smell of melted flesh and burnt wood clinging to her dress. But Caterpillar had talked to him. It was clear that he was to be the new savior. He deserved to know what put Wonderland in such a state.

"I was here when it happened. Back when it held good memories for me..." Back when Hatter was her friend. When tea parties held the only drama. back when Knave would only look at her with mild annoyance, or when Lance would smile, and vow to make her blush over tea. "They told me to leave. We were in the middle of a tea party,” She could see it, the tea party, the scent of smoke. Hatter had begun his trembling. Crying out for her to leave. To run, to jump. “I didn't know what was wrong. They made me climb out the window…” A window in the middle of the garden. She had thought it ever so queer then. “I fell for so long..." She twitched and hugged her rabbit tighter.

"I woke up outside my home.” The flames were back before her, the walls cracking and popping.” They were screaming. I couldn't do anything. I sat there until it stopped. Their screams, the fire...Everything..." And she was supposed to be their champion? She was surprised they gave her the chance in the first place. "Angus said I knocked over a candle while in my delusions. I caused it...It's all my fault..."  
Dante blinked, her gaze was tentative to meet his again, but his silence was… Worse than ridicule. "Angus...that Doctor? He's the one who told you about how the fire started? Alice...." He stopped then.  
Then he started again. "When I came to Wonderland, I think I came in a different way. I think my whole body came with me. I chased Rabbit into a portal. Do you think my body is still lying out on the street in reality?" He never asked her opinion questions. It was enough to pull her from the smoky memories of her past. He genuinely wanted to know what she thought? As if she was the expert on travelling between these two worlds...As if they were truly separate.

She could answer the best way she knew how. "I would always retreat in my mind or books. The first time I came here I fell asleep in the garden..." There was a fond smile on her lips at the memory. She had been such a small thing then. Yet she was twice as brave then. Or simply more curious. "For R..." She swallowed with difficulty, her fingers clinging to her rabbit. "A portal to let him out with a body would take you in the same way." Alice rubbed at her wrists subconsciously. She supposed she was catatonic again, was she still bound in reality?

_"It’s for your own good, Alice."_

_"Be a good girl, Alice."_

Dante moved to readjust himself, pulling her from her thoughts once more, he moved so that he was stretched out on the bed, still sitting up but his legs stretched out in front of him."Before the fire, when you came to Wonderland, you were in the house right? When you came back though, you were outside of the house. How did that happen Alice? Has your body ever moved while in Wonderland before?"  
Alice toyed with the ears of her rabbit. He was going somewhere with this… But her body refused to see the connection. The day was long. It felt as though years had passed since she left the confines of her room, and began their newest leg of her hellish path. She fell to her side with the rabbit, laying on her side with the explosive toy in the foreground, watching Dante in the background.

"I don't remember ever doing it before. But Dr. Bumby says it is a common occurrence." Once again quoting that Doctor of hers. But he was the only one she saw, the only man who knew of her ailments. "Schizophrenic. That's what he called me." She muttered the word, poking the rabbit gently, until it fell sideways, mirroring her position. "He said I'll never be cured. I can't make him any money... No one will hire me. So I do what I can around the Asylum. Mostly fetching things and showing the men the other children." Her stomach burned at the memory. Her finger prodded at the rabbit's foot, unconnected to her words. "Can't remember when I found the knife..."

Rolling his head to the side, Dante frowned as he looked to her. "Alice...I'm going to say something and I just want you to think about it, okay?" Taking a breath, he folded his hands behind his head and leaned back. A rather casual position, considering the subject matter. "There are a lot of things in your life that have happened--terrible things, that the only thing you know about them is information given to you by Angus. You and I both know that everyone has flaws. We agreed on that earlier, correct? What if Angus wasn't telling you the full truth? What if that was his flaw?"

Alice took the words in silence. Not barking at him as she had the last time he spoke against Angus. Clearly that tea had a strong effect on her, subduing her enough not to take the words as another attack against her.

"He has no reason to lie to me. Angus helped me. I would be dead if not for him." She was no longer focused on the rabbit, her gaze trained on her partner. No. Not partner. _Replacement_. Alice had to make sure to remember that. And how would he know of her relationship with Angus. Even if this wasn’t a figment of her imagination… he was too strong to know her brand of weakness. "I'm older than all the other patients. I'm an adult now. He doesn't have to keep me. But he does. He says I'm a lost cause but he doesn't mind. He keeps me anyway. He cares for me."

Dante didn't look away from Alice, his blue eyes glued to her form as he spoke. "That's sort of the point though, isn't it? He had no reason to keep you, so why did he? It isn't out of affection Alice. People who love you or hell, even like you, won't tell you that you are a lost cause. That you are worthless. People who like you will do whatever it takes to help you."

"Everyone calls me a lost cause. Chesh, Caterpillar, Turtle..." That was why he was here wasn't it? If Wonderland believed she could do this, they would have left her to it. Even if it took years. But she couldn't do it. All she was good for was a paperweight at this point. "I didn't do anything to save my family. I sat and watched the flames destroy my home. I sat and ignored Wonderland for years. It finally dragged me back in, and I still haven't done anything." Even the progress they made now was not thanks to her. It was Dante.

She smiled softly. At least someone could do it. "It doesn't matter what happens to me. Wonderland is what needs saving.”

Her gaze lifted once more, and to her surprise, Dante had moved to face her fully. Those blue eyes that had been so full of mirth and bravado before were softened. Intense, even. Alice wished she had the strength to squirm under his gaze. It was so intense and… Penetrative. His voice was quiet as he continued to stare at her, his eyes looking at her green ones. "I can't save Wonderland without its Princess, Alice. I don't think you're a lost cause..." Thoughts stopped.

It was the first time someone said anything like that to her. At least, someone who came from the ‘real’ world. The creatures of Wonderland had their moments between loving and hating her. But people in reality were all the same. And as timed moved on, and Wonderland such further into madness she was useless to them.

Emerald eyes appeared unburdened, if only for a moment. For a moment she wasn't the broken child who had entered this place. Just a woman unsure and hurting. Just Alice. The girl of nineteen, with far too much baggage than her mind could carry.

She felt her cheeks grow hot under his gaze, and shifted herself to the mat beneath her. "T-Thank you. Dante."

Giving her a small smile, he whispered. "Try to sleep Alice. I'll stay up and keep watch. You need to rest so that you can lead us to the Pale Faces tomorrow."

Watching her replacement with newfound intrigue, she watched him fold his coat, making a makeshift pillow out of it and laid down on his back, keeping his hands behind his head and crossing his legs at the ankle. Head barely nodded at his chest, She watched his chest rise and fall with each breathe that he took.

Alice wasn't sure when she fell asleep, or even how she managed. But the flames were back again. Once again she was ten, sitting outside her home, watching as the fire spread from one room to another. Her young self was dressed in her nightgown, clutch to her stuffed rabbit. The fire illuminated her room first, before moving onto the next. Her sister's room. The cries of her sister were so shrill and desperate, Alice realized she had been struck down in fear. It wasn't that she didn't move, she couldn't. She was useless to aid her sister, only watching the flames lick from the window.

Lizzie's scream found itself on her own lips, her body flung into a seated position once again. Was she asleep for hours? Minutes? It was hardly the first question on her mind. She clamped her fingers over her mouth, muffled the noise as she came down from the horrific high of her dream.

She was thankful to have a mouthful of tea left. She felt its magic working on her immediately, settled her frazzled nerves. Enough that in a matter of seconds she was simply sitting, her expression quizzical. "Lizzie's window was open. Why didn't she jump too..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess I can't get on a schedule! Life hates me! Haha, Things have been more than crazy around here. But Lt's hope I get a bit better about posting on time! Don't forget to review!


	9. Dante

He wouldn't say that he had fallen asleep, but he would be lying if he said that his eyes hadn't drifted to a close. He was wide awake however at the sound of Alice’s cry piercing the silence. His body shot upright, Ebony and Ivory in his grasp and pointed at the door, ready to shoot down anyone who had scared the girl. An eerie calm settled over him, his hunter instincts kicking in to assess any dangers in their shared room. When he realized that they were alone, he lowered his guns and looked to his companion, taking a moment to process what exactly it was she was muttering.

"The fire?" He guessed, remembering hearing her drift off to sleep. She had started off peaceful, her breaths low and even. He hadn't even noticed when her nightmare started. Cursing himself, he realized that he would have to be more alert next time. He couldn’t allow her to wake up in a panic—it would be draining to her system and leave her useless on the battlefield. "Your sister...she could have escaped through her window. Is that how you got out Alice? Your window?"

He watched as Alice buried her face against her knees, her pale fingers tangling her in her hair and tugging at her scalp. “I…I must have…” Shaking her head, her ebony hair flew around her shoulders and she admitted, “I…I can’t remember.”

Slowly, he moved from his cot to hers, kneeling beside her. His hands covered her own, careful not to apply any pressure against her warm skin. He just wanted to help her hold her head before everything that was terrifying her jumped to the forefront once more. He nearly smiled when she didn’t flinch—it was a small improvement. Her body was still tense but it was better than acting as if he’d burnt her upon contact.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, “You’re okay. You don’t have to think about it anymore. It’s okay, Alice.” Sitting back on his heels, he kept his hands on hers and attempted to study her face. Her dreams seemed to bring her closer to the reality of what actually happened, instead of the words that shit Doctor had planted in her head. Maybe, eventually, she could learn the truth about her past and see through the poison Angus was spreading in her mind.

They sat their together for a while, his hands over hers, her breaths shaky and uneven, her eyes darting back and forth as if she were trying to figure out the pieces of a very old and forgotten puzzle. Slowly, a blush crept up her face, starting under the collar of her dress until it covered her cheeks. Her eyes lifted and focused on him for the first time since she woke up and she looked…embarrassed. “S-Sorry. Was I out long? H-Have you slept?”

Dante gave her a soft smile, his voice quiet as he answered. "Not very long, no. Maybe a couple of hours? I haven't slept but I told you, I'm supposed to keep watch, remember?" Moving his hands from her head, he patted the mat behind her. "Here, lay back down. I'll pay better attention this time. If it looks like you're about to have a nightmare, I'll wake you up."

Leaning over, he grabbed his mat and scooted it closer to hers, sitting on it with his back against the wall so that her head would be near him if she laid down. He wished he could follow her into her dreams and give her the strength she needed to experience it all. That way, she could remember the details of what had really happened to her and her family. Alas, dream fighting was not a specialty of his and he wasn’t entirely sure she would want him there anyways. He still wasn’t sure she even wanted him in Wonderland.

"I won't find sleep again,” she admitted to him quietly, her eyes drifting down to the mat. “I don't know how I found it the first time. Please…it’s your turn now. Better we both try and recover, hmm?"  
In any other situation, Dante would refuse sleep, pushing through his exhaustion until he caught his second, third, and forth wind. Then, when he finished his mission, he would collapse and sleep for days in a haze of booze, pizza, and cigarettes.

In Wonderland however, he wasn't sure the next time they would be so safe. He was also more exhausted than he had found himself in a long time. He never emotionally attached himself to a mission and in doing so, he realized that he was depleting his energy a lot faster than he normally would. It wasn’t as if he’d meant to attach himself to this particular mission anyways. There was just something about Alice, about her story…or, rather, the lack there of that tugged at his heart. He wanted to help her find those missing pieces. Perhaps then she couldn’t be pushed to the side and cast off as a broken girl.

Looking at his companion to make sure she was alright with this plan, he rearranged his coat/pillow and got ready to lay down. Before he did, he looked her in the eye, making sure she was listening to him. "Okay...don't let me sleep past an hour. And if you have to wake me up, be careful. I wake up fighting." Giving her a grin, he laid down on his back, throwing an arm over his eyes. He never slept around others and found that with Alice, it wasn't as difficult to do. He usually had to stay alert, on guard, never knowing who he could trust. With Alice, he could at least trust her to wake him if she needed assistance.

He found sleep quickly in the strange room they’d been left to. In Fortuna, he rarely slept hard enough to dream but his body was so exhausted with all that Wonderland was throwing at them, he found the dreams came easily this time. In fact, his head was overfilled with caterpillars, hatters, rabbits, teapots, and pepper grinders. Every image was twisted and bizarre but it was all overshadowed by a pair of haunting emerald eyes, burning with a fire brighter than any he’d ever seen.

When he woke, he was left unaware of where he was, what time it was, or how long he’d been out for. Blinking at his surroundings, he frowned as the memories re-emerged. There was only one thing missing—Alice.

Getting up, he slid his coat on before hurrying out of the room. Had she been pushed too far by talking about her nightmare? Was she running and hiding somewhere?

When he found Caterpillar, he was grateful to see Alice standing before him, clutching her rabbit. They were in the middle of a conversation so he hung back, allowing the Princess her time with the oracle.  
“What is the truth then?" She was asking. The words ‘Ha, Ha’ floated in smoke around her head, blown from Caterpillar’s hookah.

"You don't believe what you see with your own eyes. What will my telling you of things you already know do? Go on your way. Take your 'Champion' with you. Seek out those who oppose you, destroy what has corrupted you. Kill what has defiled you." Alice winced at the last sentence, flinching and nearly dropping her Rabbit. As if he had reached out and struck her. A poor choice of words? With Caterpillar, never.  
Finally, she nodded, her knuckles going white around the rabbit, a fierce determination set in her eyes. Turning from Caterpillar, she caught sight of Dante in the corner of her vision and smiled faintly. "Morning, I think."

"Morning," he replied, coming out of the shadows and walking forward to stand by her side. Giving her a chastising look, he added, "I think I was asleep for longer than an hour, Alice. Thought we had made a deal," he joked, gently elbowing her in the ribs. He wasn't angry. In fact, he was simply relieved. He’d thought she’d disappeared on him for good. He was just glad she was alright.

Besides, he felt a hell of a lot better for getting some sleep.

“I remember you saying that, but I don’t remember agreeing,” Alice added back in jest, a soft smirk on her lips. In her grip, her rabbit gave way to her trusted blade, glistening in her grasp.

Looking up at Caterpillar, Dante nodded to the Oracle. "Thank you for letting us stay. We'd best be on our way. Time to find the Pale Faces," he said, looking to Alice for confirmation. "Ready?"

"Your hookah inspired words are always a comfort, Caterpillar. Do mind yourself while we are gone,” Alice chided, turning the handle of her blade over in her hands. Looking up at Dante, she muttered, “You needed the rest more than I did.”

Dante rolled his eyes and lightly countered, "Well, I'll be making sure the tables are never turned in that direction again. Wonderland wore me out but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I won't be bested again."

Giving a half salute/half wave to the oracle, he grinned. "Later Caterpillar. I'm sure we will cross paths again, especially if you will it." Looking to his partner, he nodded. "Let's get out of here."

As they headed out of the temple, Dante looked around at the raining Kanji, spotting what must be the opening of the tea spout. In this world, where the walls of the kettle weren't apparent, it just looked like a spot of light. Aiming his steps towards it, he couldn't keep the grin off his face. Alice was much fierier today and it was a good thing. Her energy bolstered both of them, gave them more fight. "So, Princess, ready to take us to the Pale Faces today?" He used the title lightly, more as a term of endearment than as a dig or a show of respect. Not that he didn't respect her. To still be alive after everything she'd gone through, she was one hell of a woman.

"With a cannibalistic Duchess and a murderous Queen, I don't know whether calling myself a Princess is suiting or insulting." Her bite was back, a playful glare aimed at the Hunter that might have even bordered on flirtatious, were she familiar with the act. She toyed with her blade soon after, staring at the intricate carvings on it’s surface, her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink.

"I think we should decide that once you are back in your rightful place as Champion of Wonderland, hmm? Besides, the Duchess is dead and the Queen is on her way out the door. Best not to compare yourself to them, sweetheart," he chided with a wink.

When they were as close to the spout as possible, Dante let out a sigh. It was a good eight feet above their heads. Even if Alice stood on his shoulders, she'd still be three feet too short to wrap her hands around the rim. Looking around, he hoped to find something they could climb up on but nothing of the sort was near them. "Any ideas?" He asked of his partner. "You've been to see Caterpillar before...how did you get out?"

"He wasn't in a teapot." Alice deadpanned, looking up at the spout as if it were the Red Queen herself. She spared a glance to Dante, clearly thinking the same as he was. Even together, they weren’t tall enough. Even if they managed to get her up there, she would have nothing to hold onto and no way to pull him up... plus she was in a dress to boot. Alice withdrew her blade and swiped it along the rim of the pot, but only sparks came off, obviously trying to figure a way out for the both of them.

Tucking her knife away, she brushed her hair out of her face and off of her shoulders, twisting it into an up-do while her eyes scanned the area, looking for other options. He found he liked the look, the way it opened her face. He could more clearly read her expressions this way, could see the things she often hid behind her curtain of hair.

A shuddering of reeds drew Alice’s attention, her clever green eyes shooting towards the sound. A white pawn emerged from it’s hiding place, hopping over the wooden planks and diving onto a narrow path between shoots of bamboo. Alice cocked a thin black brow. “Follow the pawn.”

Catching the movement of the reeds at the same time, he heeded her advice as the two of them took off after the pawn. It led them down what could barely be called a path, bamboo shoots whacking their legs and sides as they chased after the chess piece. He was sure Alice would be bruised later from the beating they were taking.

"This is worse than Rutledge!" She hissed as bamboo whacked against the same spot on her leg for the umpteenth time in a row. “This better lead somewhere." But what else would a pawn be doing in a teapot? Unless it was simply hiding from the war.

Alice hissed as she took a bamboo shoot to her face. She was clearly over the pain. She leapt in front of him, her blade slicing and cutting through the bamboo. The hilt of her blade eventually connected with the pawn, sending it flying ahead of them on the path.

“You’re a woman on a mission today, sweetheart. I like it!” He complimented, a crooked grin hanging from his lips. Emerging from the bamboo, he surveyed the land with a low whistle on his breath. “Well…that’s a sight.”

Stretched before them was a land of lava, fire and sulfur. The bamboo and greenery had given way to a world of red. “I’m guessing this is where the Pale Faces live?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the incredibly late update. Tings were massively cray-cray on my end. Family health issues and just time getting away from me. I can't promise to stay on any sort of schedule from here on out, But I can promise that this story won't die! It's still being worked on, and as long as you guys still love it (And show the appropriate kudos and lovely comments) it shall continue!


	10. Alice

Alice was perplexed. Being the size that they were, a large barren area with plenty of lava pools that seemed oceans wide was not hospitable. Or correct. "No...I don't know where this place is..." The pawn towered above, the size of house cat (Which would have been small by comparison, but when one is no bigger than a blade of grass…) it blinked its one eye at the girl and whimpered. Alice's expression softened. It was just a child. "Pawn, where are we? Where is ho-” No. She couldn’t go around calling it that. She didn’t deserve to any longer. “ _Your_ home realm?"  


The pawn shuddered and looked to the sky, then warily at Dante, trembling like a leaf. Alice sighed and walked over to the intimidating Hunter. She could understand the pawn’s reluctance. That bellowing red coat, the stark silver hair, the sharp eyes, his tall stature, even shrunk to a mere three inches high. It was enough to make any chess piece quake. If they wanted to be on their way back to the Pale Realm any time soon, she needed to nip its fear right in the butt.  


Which meant nipping hers.  


Fingers spread, she felt the digits go rigid. _Get it together Alice, he’s not going to bite._  


_Or won’t bite hard… ___  


Swallowing the bitter taste of her fear, Alice forced a smile, gently placing her hand on his forearm. "This is a friend, he means no harm." The pawn seemed pleased with that, and gestured with its body several miles to the west. A green portal was open. Alice tossed a glance behind them, and found they had come from a portal themselves. "A hub of sorts. Helpful." The pawn whimpered again, twisting her organs into a knot. As to who this hub of portals was helpful to remained to be seen. She looked to the pawn for a hint, but found it darting the best it could to the further portal, as if the Devil himself were on its heels.  


That was hardly a comfort  


"I don't blame it.” She breathed out. “Even if we were normal size this place is treacherous..." _Bollocks._  


Dante nodded. "We have a few options. We grow, we make some sort of boat, or I attempt to carry you through it. I prefer the first two personally--”  


“I beg your pardon?!” She had misheard, clearly. What he said… What he was willing to do… It was barking mad! Even in Wonderland! Her head shook several times, before her jaw allowed her to form words once again. “When one is faced with a puddle of lava, ‘through’ is typically not an option ventured, at least, not one that is met with success.”  


Looking at his partner, he glanced down at her dagger before grinning. "Any chance that thing can fly us across? Transform it into a helicopter?"  


“If only…” Her gaze traced around the perimeter of the lava pool. Goodness, if only they were taller. But what a strange thing it would be, just a mere thimble of lava in the middle of a meadow. How on Earth did such a thing get there? But Alice supposed the bigger question was how were they going to get around it. Walking would take forever...Unless.  


She glanced to her partner once more, seeing him, but not as he was. Instead with eyes red like blood, and skin like the dark pitch of night, and speed incomprehensible in any mere human. No, no. It was inconceivable. Once was well enough. Alice cleared her throat then, "If only Gryphon were around...Chesh? Suggestions?" Alice offered to the air. Hoping the mischievous cat would be within earshot.  


Speak his name, and he would appear. The dark cat slithered along Alice's shoulders, the weight a comfort to her very soul. Dante may have been geared as her replacement… But it seemed as though her friends had some loyalty left in them. Cheshire purred, nuzzling against her neck. "This is a pleasant sight. Save for the lava." Alice playfully glared at the cat. Cheshire merely scoffed. "Am I a genie? Do I grant wishes?"  


"You seem to travel about with ease. Mind lending us a hand?” Her brow rose in query, “A gift is not a wish." Chesh sighed and leapt to Dante's shoulders, his tail curled around Alice's neck. They all shuddered out of existence for a heartbeat, an experience not unlike being plunged into an ice water bath, only to be pulled out in the same instance, appearing near the portal at such a dizzying speed, the pawn was subsequently booted by Dante’s sudden presence, careening through the portal. "Much appreciated, Cat."  


"I'm unsure if I prefer you like this or as a helpless waif,” Cheshire purred, his paw swiping at her in sportive jest. “At least with the latter my nine lives will remain in place."  


Dante smirked at the grinning cat, the grin not quite reaching his eyes, Alice noted, as he muttered, "I would be willing to bet that your nine lives are much safer in the hands of the girl standing in front of you now." That was certainly a change of tone. The last they met, they had banded together and gave her a good ribbing!  


Now his gaze was firmly locked with hers, and Alice felt oddly exposed.  


"I don't need a weathervane to tell which way the wind blows." Chesh spoke cryptically, his gaze equally intense on Alice. Alice nearly shrank at the attention she was receiving. Of course, being that they were already shrunk, she just might fade into nothingness entirely! A fate entirely worth embracing, if she was to be honest. Alice coughed awkwardly and leapt through the portal without another thought.

__\----_ _

___The land that laid beyond the portal was a realm suiting for any pale faced chess pieces. The ground itself was a chessboard, while the buildings around them suggested a medieval city, a pristine white castle looming in the distance. Alice grinned in delight, and noted their size compared to the pawn. The dear thing, trembling at their feet, it was no bigger than her blade now. "Well. That's solves two problems now. But I doubt our luck will last much longer." The pawn whimpered and leaped into Alice's arms. Seemed she was right._  


Dante was quick to follow, those blue eyes narrowed at the quiet, abandoned streets. Alice opened her mouth to explain. It wasn’t usually like there. There were usually creatures of all shapes and sizes bustling in the streets, street vendors, squires bellowing on about the upcoming tournaments. But Dante beat her to the punch."Why do I feel like we just jumped into some sort of trap?"  


This was why he made a better Champion.  


Alice chewed on her bottom lip. The pawn had no mouth from which to speak and was much like a whimpering dog in her arms, trembling. Alice cooed softly to the thing, holding it as a mother would her young. At least she had regained that much sense. She could do this, at least for the meantime. "It is quiet… But the realm looks no different." No boarded windows, no clear sign of a scuffle in the streets. Alice retraced her steps through the chessboard-themed town, looking down the familiar alleyways and streets she had played in for most of her days. "What has you so frightened?"  


The pawn remained silent, trembling, and periodically whimpering when she stepped in the right direction. It was only when they came to the courtyard of the castle (There were no walls ‘guarding’ the Castle from the village, Queen Mirana would sooner cut off her arm..) that they found the reason. The pawn all but shrieked, and Alice dropped behind a half slab of cobblestone wall, her hands flying over the ‘mouth’ of the creature.  


Peering back over the wall, her stomach dropped to her feet. Not much could be seen, given the distance between themselves and the heart of the action. Words were too muffled to make out, but the commotion was unmistakable. Two black knights led the procession from the grand gateway to the heart of the castle, shackles and chains in hand behind them... A white clad Queen held her head high. Alice felt the breath stolen from her lungs. She only saw the back of her… but she was unmistakable. Bringing up the rear were two black and bloodied rooks...And a familiar figure. Dark olive skin, body littered with black ink, spreading like thorns across the skin. Dante ducked out of sight just in time before his familiar yellow stare to travel over to their position.  


The pit of her stomach grew into an inferno. “Prisoner...More like rat.” Oh Lance, he would be heartbroken… but if they had Queen Mirana...  


"Well... That can't be good." Alice tried to steady the pawn and get another look at the kidnapping in progress, but only a green light remained. The closing of another portal.  


Dante’s voice washed upon the back of her neck, sending her hairs on end. "No, not good at all. I don't know much about chess but I do know that a player is nothing without their Queen. It looks like the Pale Faces are going to need some help rescuing their Ruler. What say we figure out what has been going on around here, hmm?" Waiting for the portal to fully close, the pair of them snuck out from behind the wall and headed towards a nearby bush, working their way closer to the castle with each hiding spot they found. Later on, if time allowed, Alice would marvel at the silent communicating between them, their sights set on each other’s back, searching for any more friends of those who had stolen the Queen, moving in harmony from half walls to bushes, dashing along them until they found themselves well within the confines of the castle, doors firmly shut behind them with every passing.  


All the while, Alice held the pawn tightly, the small piece quaking and sniffling, despite not having the facial features for it. "Poor thing risked everything to find us. What a mess I've left you all in..." How were the halls so quiet, especially when a kidnapping had just occurred. Where were the guards? Where were the Knight commanders?  
It was made obvious when they crossed the threshold into the throne room, and both she and Dante recoiled at the stench of blood, rather than the sight.  


The sight stained her soul.  


The pawn fled from her grip. And with good reason, she would have dropped it otherwise. Blood soaked the pristine white tiles. Another visceral sight. Another body left nothing more than a puddle of blood and a heap of mangled limbs. A blade lay crudely protruding through the heart of the pile of flesh...Belonging to the victim himself.  


Another body.  


Another fallen friend.  


“L-Lance…” Too many questions, tears sprang to her eyes, and somewhere in her chest, a scream was caught. Alice choked on it, but she was not the only one. The King was weeping none too far beyond, his hands masking his face. Looking so small amongst the toppled thrones, his white cloak trembling as his shoulders shook with every violent sob. ThepPawn whimpered alongside Alice. She finally managed to tear her eyes from the sight, before it could consume her body and soul, rushing to the King and falling to her knees before him. "I...I'm sorry. W-We saw everything." The King pulled his head from his hands, and offered her a tragic smile.  


"Little Alice. You've returned unharmed. Perhaps there is hope." The distressed King looked over her shoulder to Dante. "R-Reinforcements?" Alice's gaze dropped.  


"Replacement. I've failed you all."  


A careful hand was placed on her shoulder--had Dante walked alongside her? He was behind her now, chiding quietly, "Don't correct the King, Alice. He's right."  


Looking to the White King, Dante confirmed, "Reinforcement. I was brought to Wonderland to help Alice. We came looking for you but it seems that someone else found you first. We are here to offer you our help. Where do you suppose they have taken your Queen?"  


She wanted to snap, to scream, to lash out at the hand Dante dared to place on her. Didn’t he see? Lance was dead! How could they move on from this! Another one of her friends, dead, gone to dust… Though one could hardly call it such a gentle thing when one's body lay unrecognizable before them. How many times had his sword been plunged into him, to create such a mess of flesh and blood out of what had been the best sword fighter in the whole of the Pale Realm? “Dante, how--” But the King squeezed her hands.  


The King smiled and nodded. "Without her generalship, we shall never win. They've sided with the Red Queen. Seems she whispers orders into their ears." The King paused to look upon Alice again. She hadn't moved an inch. If she stayed perfectly still, would no further harm come? "Come now Alice. This is a war. You did not cause this."  


"The hell she didn't!"  


She knew _that_ was coming. It was only a matter of time. Alice was surprised it did not come with a blade to the gullet. Turning to the voice, she saw the second Knight Commander at once, storming into the room as if he were the King himself. Fury dripped in his every movement. Even though he was a pale man in Knight garb, white eye patch, every inch of his clothing screaming that of the gentle Pale Palace, his every movement harkened to the darkness. The hate that burned in that teary, bloodshot hazel eye, his white knuckle grip on his, thankfully, sheathed sword. His breath seemed to catch--and why wouldn’t it? Considering the pile of man who now stained the royal throne room between them.  


“K-Knave...Knave I…”  


"You fucking twit!” The words were daggers. Once upon a time, she had called this man a friend, a dear one at that. Now he stood at the other end of the throne room, the body of his fellow Knight, their friend…  


The King patted her hand. “Knave, it is not she who betrayed out trust… Nor she who plunged the blade into the heart of your brother--”  


“But she practically helped, didn’t she?” Knave hissed. “Didn’t you? For years we have babied you, coddled you and kept you safe---This kingdom has bent over backwards, while you sit and cry and scream nonsense. They only came here to interrogate the Queen on your whereabouts, Liddel!" Alice winced and shot up to her feet.  


"And your duties were what!? Why are you only jumping to attention now, Knave!" But the shouts were only half coherent. The tears had taken root. “Where are the guards, where are your men… Where is everyone--”  


“They’re fighting _your_ war!”  


The King stood slowly, his movements deliberate and careful, demanding respect from the Knight without so much as a word. Knave silenced himself, his head dipped, pointedly away from the gruesome sight. When the King did speak, his voice remained calm and gentle, as if he were speaking to babes. "A single girl did not start this war. No, it is the pride of the Red Queen that sparked the flame. Alice is merely her excuse to finally act on what she has been fighting for all along. Control over Wonderland."  


The Knight bristled, glaring hatefully at Alice. Trying to stand her own, she attempted to meet glare for glare. It had worked so well in the past. Knave was like a cat, you merely had to stand your ground, and he would eventually stand down. However, with Lance dead, all bets were off. Alice stood down first, but the Knight offered a bow to his King. "Your Majesty. We have tried to rehabilitate this girl for years. She wasn't sent back to Wonderland for another tea party. Her madness shattered this world asunder and she refuses to fix it. Maybe she simply can't."  


Alice opened her mouth to retort, but the comeback died on her lips.  


Years. Nearly ten, if she wanted to sit down and do the math. Each one of them, Wonderland broke a little more. She had done nothing, and she was only now seeing the error in her ways. Alice tried to hurriedly wipe the tears that flowed down her cheeks, retreating a step but only managing to gently bumped into Dante.  


Alice glanced over her shoulder at him, her gaze pained. "I...I didn't mean to wait so long..."  


"Our brave Champion. Some scared shitless girl. How many lives will be lost today for your foolishness?" Knave spat, gesturing to the fallen body of his brother before donning his helmet--No, not his, his. He did not bother even asking the King for permission before making his leave.  


She sobbed.  


Gods… He was right.  


A tear slid it's way down her cheek, and only when its path was blocked by a finger bound in a fingerless leather glove, did her attention return to the present. The Hunter placed his hand back on her shoulder then, electricity following in its wake, blue eyes met green as he said firmly, "You're here now. That's what matters Alice."  


The King did sigh softly, wiping at his own tears with his cloak. Nodding off in the direction Knave had fled, the King offered a strained smile to Dante. "I apologize for his brash attitude. He has seen much in his life, and his heart has hardened. Many hearts in Wonderland have gone the same path and find themselves easily captured by the Red Queen. We are lucky to still have that particular Knight in our good graces…” Alice’s shoulders shook in a humorless jerk. Dante didn’t know the half of it. But the King reassured. “He is speaking out of anger and loss, dear Princess, and those emotions alone."  


Alice nodded, but said little else. She seemed to be teetering once again. Guilt lay heavy on her features. She turned to look at the fallen body of the Knight. Lance. Gone. Gone to betrayal, on so many sides. She was supposed to be their Champion. They were supposed to be safe. She was supposed to have settled this. Instead, Knave had pegged her right. She lay in hiding with her doctors and her potions…  


_Be a good girl, Alice…_  


A life that had been taken, that could have been spared if she fought when she was supposed to. A mere day ago, Rabbit suffered the same fate. For a moment the blade flickered into the Rabbit again, its ticking attempting to reassured her at the edge of her conscious… or remind her that time still ticked on.  


"I'm sorry. You kept me safe within your walls and this is how I repay you."  


"You have suffered a tremendous loss. A terrible trauma. We bear no ill will against your needing the time to prepare. Our Queen may be taken, but we fought to keep your secret, dear Alice of Legend. We have not counted you out." The King grasped Alice's free hand. She spared a look to him, but her gaze drifted back to Dante.  


"I could go for slicing down an army about now. You?"  


"I could use the outlet," The Hunter replied with a grin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lookie who updated before the end of the shittiest year in existence! This year had been the toughest for me yet, and I hope 2017 doesn't take that as a challenge! To everyone who had silently given kudos on this work, thank you! And much love to those who have kindly taken the time to comment. (Hey, you, reading this, you should comment too. Stroke my ego, please?)
> 
> Anywho! With any luck, updates will be a little more prompt than what they have been!
> 
> For anyone who is wholly curious about the super massive world this has become (Between me and my lovely co-writer) You are all welcomed to check out our strange OTP tumblr surrounding the crossworld world in which we have created here. (http://thedevilinwonderland.tumblr.com/) But be warned, there's a touch of spoilers!
> 
> Also fan art. Fan art is love. Fan Art is life.


	11. Dante

Truthfully, it would be good for him to get out some of the pent up anger he was feeling towards the Knight who had insulted Alice. Turning to the King, he smiled gratefully. "Thank you for standing behind Alice, Sir. We won't let you down out there."  
  
The small ruler smiled, squeezing Alice's hand. "I know. You have never let us down Alice and I am sure this will be no different."  
  
Alice sighed uneasily, nodding to the King before trying to make a polite exit from the room. "It's a long way to the dark realm. It’s probably no safer than that lava realm…" She admitted, ducking into the silent hallway. A sound drew her attention and she glanced down, her face softening when she saw the reason behind the odd cooing noise. The Pawn had found her once again and was nuzzling her boot affectionately.  
  
"You can't come with me..." Alice tried to reason, but the Pawn huffed and hopped into her arms, shrinking until it was the perfect size to conceal in her apron pockets. Well, there was no arguing that logic.  
  
"So....still feeling up to a big ass kicking?" The Hunter asked, his smile tight but still very much in place as he looked down to his pint sized partner in crime. That’s what she was, truly. His partner. She kept calling him her replacement but he knew the truth—nothing and no one seemed to be able to replace Alice in this world. They all looked at her as if she were special, no matter if they loved or hated her.  
  
It was a pity she couldn’t see it for herself.  
  
"I can't let anything happen to the Queen. Knave already hates me enough." Alice fiddled with her fingers as they walked, clearly a method of distraction. "I...I don't blame him. Wonderland fell to pieces, and when I came back I...I couldn't cope. Still can't..."  
  
The Castle courtyard was as quiet as ever. Not a single soul in sight. Even the town itself had been silent. "When I was a child, this place was brimming with life. More color too..."Alice glanced around, wrapping her arms around herself. "The White Queen hid me but the people started to vanish. They wouldn't give me up...Dante, I let this go too far. How am I supposed to be their Champion?!"  
  
Leaning back against one of the stone walls in the courtyard, he tilted his head back, thinking on her question. "They were strong on your behalf when they hid you. Now, it's your turn to be strong for them. Even when they were being taken away and watching their friends being kidnapped or worse, they stood strong to keep you safe. I'm sure they were scared and felt as if they had made mistakes but they stood by what they knew they had to do. I'm sure they felt very similar to how you are feeling now. You just have to use that fear to bolster yourself, to push yourself forward and help you fight for their freedom."  
  
Alice nodded quietly at his words, a blush working it’s way up her neck once more. “It’ll be a bit of a trek to the dark realm. I’ve only been there once before and it was by accident,” she admitted with a shudder. Poking open her apron pocket, her hair pooled around her face as she looked down at the little pawn. “You’ll tell me if I go the wrong way, right?”  
  
They received a chirp in response that hopefully meant ‘yes’.  
  
Biting back a chuckle, Dante smirked. "Great. A Pawn as our compass, a long journey ahead of us, and a lot of ass to kick. Sounds like we are in for a good time. Better get going," he said as he gestured for her to lead the way.  
  
As they walked, he thought about how much had changed in such a short amount of time. Or, had it been short? It was impossible to tell---Wonderland couldn't run on the same time system as reality. The days felt infinitely long and the nights impossibly short. Alice had grown a lot in the time he'd known her though, no matter how long that time was. When they'd first met, she'd been putting on an act, hiding behind a brave facade, her eyes showing how deep her terror ran. Now the fire was lit and burning much brighter than he'd ever seen it. The image made him smile.  
  
It didn’t hurt that she’d not thrown a dagger at his face since their meeting as well. Overall, he would guess she was getting a little bit better of an impression of him since the moment they had met.  
  
The safety of the castle grounds gave way to a more dangerous territory. The chess theme continued, and Alice had to consult with the pawn to guide them through the maze of alleyways and stairwells to best traverse the realm. She remained silent for a large portion of their journey, seemingly focused on each step she took.  
  
A battle cry rang out in the air and the two of them froze, eyes searching for the source of the sound. They were on a bridge that crossed the roofs of several buildings overlooking an open town square, giving them a large vantage point over the Kingdom. A large group of black pawns were being lead by a black Knight, the lot of them headed straight to a large skirmish. Who exactly was foolish enough to take on the black Knights on his own? A certain grieving White Knight with a patch over his eye.  
  
Alice gripped to the edge of the railing, the Vorpal blade withdrawn. "That idiot is going to get himself killed!" Without much of a thought, she pulled back from the railing, only to run at it and fling herself over the edge and straight into battle.  
  
Seeing Alice fly off of the bridge, Dante grinned, his adrenaline already beginning to flow. "This is more like it!" Running, he took a flying leap after her, brandishing Ebony and Ivory, firing off multiple shots before even hitting the ground. The pawns were easy targets...there were just so many of them. No matter though. He had plenty of time and was thoroughly enjoying the battle, picking off pawns left and right while keeping an eye on his partner who was more than holding her own, her blade flashing as she slashed a path through the lot of them.  
  
Catching sight of the White Knight, Dante couldn't help but to smirk slightly. How had the idiot gotten himself into this situation? He wasn't exactly happy to be working to save the man who had just chewed Alice out but he knew that Alice would be horrified if one of his bullets accidentally ricocheted and buried itself in the jackass’s chest.  
  
And while he was distracted with the pawns, everything happened at once.  
  
Out of his peripheral vision, he caught sight of one of the black squares on the chessboard rising up, a demon springing forth from it’s pitch. A clawed hand reached out for Knave, ready to dive straight through his chest and catch his heart—but it found a different victim. Alice ran like a streak of lightning and pushed the Knight out of the way, shoving him into Dante.  
  
She made it just in time for the clawed hand to bury itself in her stomach. The world itself went silent, her scream of pain the only thing to remain.  
  
He'd never truly known what it was like not to breathe. He'd been strangled, nearly drowned, and had his breath knocked from his lungs multiple times. None of that compared to this. To the moment that he turned in time to watch Alice's tiny body impaled on a large clawed hand, her body falling limp like a doll's.  
  
He wasn't aware that he was moving until the scenery around him had completely changed. He was suddenly much closer to Alice's body, the battered Knight fighting to pull him back from the monster. Rebellion was in his hand and he easily shook off the other man, shoving him back to the ground as he approached the beast. No one hurt his Princess. He had promised her that he would protect her and he never went back on his word.  
  
And if she lived, he swore he would examine the part about her being any bit his.  
  
The demon seemed confused. It had been aiming for the Knight. Now some lifeless corpse of a girl was stuck on his hand. The creature shook the body off, Alice's limp form crumbling to a heap several yards away. Dante's approach distracted it soon enough and it turned to handle yet another pest.  
  
No one noticed the color draining from the girl. Her skin turned pristine white, her dress less so. The fabric bleed as much as her wound did, turning an off-white color before her blood began to stain the material. Her hair, usually silken turned mangy, and emerald green eyes shifted to an endless sea of black, tears of blood streaking down her face.  
  
Dante had managed a few hits on the beast when this new version of Alice shrieked once more. The entire world seemed to shudder with the force of the sound, as if feeling the pain her body had gone through and working to defend her small frame. The demons that were pouring from the corruption were quickly impaled by red and bloodied thorns, their lives cut short.  
  
The entire square was cleared in a single blow. Alice sat up where she had been thrown, numbly grabbing at her wound. Her black eyes were unseeing, her dying body quaking. Knave raced to her side, bending to his knees and reaching for her. "Alice... Oh you bloody fool."  
  
Chest heaving, Dante looked around quickly, his eyes darting from side to side, flashing between sapphire and ruby as he struggled to keep control over his own blood. Seeing that the rest of the enemies had been dispatched of, he ran to Alice's side, dropping to his knees beside both his partner and Knave. Rebellion protested as she was dropped unceremoniously next to him on the ground, a rarity for the large weapon.  
  
Reaching forward, he took Alice’s weight from Knave’s arms, his cool blue eyes scanning her body further for damage. He was lost on what to do or how to help. Placing his hand overtop of hers, he helped her to clutch at her wound, his own eyes wide with terror. Rabbit had been the one to say that they were alike. Here Alice sat before him, looking completely and utterly different than he'd ever seen her. Would she heal though? Was she like him in that way? Or was she frail and fragile as she might seem, her life force leaking from her body and onto his hands. Her name was a broken prayer on his lips, the only word he could form and speak as he learned what it meant to be entirely helpless.  
  
"Alice..."  
  
Knave seemed to be the only one to understand the situation, his mouth opening and closing rapidly, trying to form the words. "I-It's Hysteria. H-Her fail safe." His fist collided with the ground several times. Alice seemed numbed to everything, only vaguely aware of their presence. Time had slowed for her, their words muffled and so far away. Black eyes looked to Dante in confusion. The eyes themselves were expressionless, but flickers of memories seemed reflected in her eyes. The Knave retreated, calling out for the Cheshire cat as if invoking the name of a god.  
  
Cheshire appeared all the same.  
  
"And so her wish is granted. Hysteria is a final choice. She either lives or dies. It's her choice entirely." Chesh purred, pawing at the girl's foot, trying to get through to her himself. But her vague focus only remained on Dante, traveling from his eyes to where his hands met hers.  
  
"Liddel, you stupid girl. Push through this! We'll all die here if you give up!" Knave cried, giving it his best effort to help Alice make the choice.  
  
"Perhaps that pep talk should have been received earlier, Knave,” Dante muttered, keeping his gaze on Alice all the while. He spit the words at the Knight, annoyed that the man even dared to act as if he cared now after the reaming he’d given the girl earlier.  
  
Knave huffed and pulled at his hair as he growled, “I didn’t see the creature! I didn’t know she’d push me out of the way and take the hit herself! Stupid girl!”  
  
Dante had kept his focus entirely on Alice until the Knight's last statement. He’d been able to keep his cool, to pour his energy into holding Alice’s wound but now?  
  
Now he was seeing red.  
  
His movements were quick as he turned slightly, one hand leaving Alice's and grabbing the knight around the neck, squeezing until his trachea was clenched shut, unable to draw breath. Red eyes glared at the man as the hunter growled out, "You fool! Of course she would risk her life for yours. She is the Princess of this land and will defend it as such, no matter how undeserving it's population is." Disgusted, he threw the Knight from his reach, his eyes flickering blue before turning back to Alice. He’d tried to be kind, tried to keep his temper in check…but the Knight had gone to far. Whether he’d previously been a friend of Alice’s before or not, he wasn’t welcome around her now.  
  
His touch was gentle as he held her once more, his hands enveloping hers and coated in her blood as he pressed against her wound. His voice was nearly a whisper, a caress as he stared into her endless black eyes. "Come back to me, sweetheart. We've got so much more to do here. I can't do it without you, Alice. Come back..."  
  
Chesh glared at the Knight. "Perhaps it would be wise for you to return to your King. Less he vanish as well." His uncharacteristically dark tone sent the Knight running. Chesh sighed and pressed a paw to Alice's stockings. Even they had been bleached entirely white during her transformation. Weak and pristine, a perfect doll, and now she teetered on the edge of Oblivion.  
  
Alice's body shuddered and curled slightly. Blood dried and lightened, eventually turning into rose petals that fluttered away in the breeze. Her dress remained pristine beneath the petals, no wound visible. Alice shuddered again and flinched this time, pressing against her Hunter gently. "D-Dante...?" Chesh grinned, and exhaled heavily.  
  
"The effect will wear off. But she will be weaker for this." Chesh hummed and teleported his body, pawing at the handle of an empty shop door until the thing creaked open. "Bring her in here. I will seek out Caterpillar for something to help quicken the process."  
  
As the cat disappeared, Dante felt relief wash over his entire body, hitting him like waves. “Welcome back Alice,” he murmured, his words the first breath he’d expelled since she fell.  
  
Taking the cat’s instructions, he slid his arms under the weak girl and lifted her, cradling her to his chest. Rose petals slide from between their bodies and floated lazily to the ground, as if something beautiful had just happened instead of something terrifying and nearly fatal.  
  
Heading into the shop Cheshire had opened, he was grateful to find a bench near the back. Holding Alice's minimal weight with one arm, he cleared the random objects off quickly, scattering some of them to the floor. Tenderly, he laid her on the bench before stripping off his coat and wrapping it around her slim frame. "We have to work on our battle strategy a little bit sweetheart. No more running into fights like that. Even if you were holding your own."  
  
“I cleared them, didn’t I?” Her voice was small and weak but the color was slowly returning to her body. Her eyes were a dim shade of green and her dress the palest blue, her hair returning to it’s silken state. Her arm twitched and a small smile was turned towards the flower petals remaining in the palm of her hand. “Painting the roses red~” She sang.  
  
"Rabbit was right." She groaned softly as she curled deeper into his jacket, as if seeking out comfort in the material “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I treated you so coldly.”  
  
The Hunter’s eyes widened slightly at the apology. He certainly hadn’t been expecting one, especially not now when she had nearly died.  
  
Lips tipped in a whisper of a smile, he shrugged, kneeling next to the bench he had placed her upon. "You don't have to apologize. You had no reason to be kind to me. What matters now is that you are alive, Alice. Rabbit was right though...we are similar in more ways than meets the eye. Pun not intended."  
  
Chesh made a reappearance then, a flask strapped to his side. "Caterpillar cooked this up..." His eyes scanned over Alice's form. "The further the trauma she endures, the more she remembers. It is hard to advise her to take this path..." Chesh sighed and hopped onto Dante's lap to offer him the drink. "Linger here in safety, but with her mind a battlefield. Or reveal the truth, and send her to her death..."  
  
Taking the flask from Chesire, he stroked his hand down the cats back out of appreciation. "Our Alice is a fighter and much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I have the feeling that saving Wonderland is far from the end of my journey to help her."  
  
And there it was again. Earlier, she had been his Princess. Now he was saying our Alice? As if to include that she was his in any way, shape or form?  
  
Opening the flask, he took a whiff of the liquid himself, not at all envious that the girl had to drink it. Placing his free hand alongside her cheek, he leaned in, his voice soft as he instructed, "Drink this Alice. Chesh brought it for you. It's from Caterpillar. It will help you feel better." He placed the flask against her pink lips, urging her to drink.  
  
Chesh purred and didn't bother to hide his grin at Dante's words. Maybe it was worth mentioning that that was their intent. But he focused on the other part of his sentence. "Our Alice, is it?"  
  
If Alice herself noticed, she made no comment. She seemed too focused on her breathing and willing her body. There was no energy to spare for eavesdropping. Dull green eyes squinted in distaste at the bottle, but did not fight him as she quickly drank down the liquid. Her skin slowly regained it’s natural color and life flickered back into her eyes, a groan escaping her. Cheshire and Dante shared a smile.  
  
“Welcome back to the land of the living, dear Alice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey remember when I said I would try and keep a schedule when updating this? Remember the great laughs we had over that? Goodness, thanks for sticking around this far, hopefully I can attempt some resemblance of regular updates... But we know how likely that is!
> 
> Maybe some kind readers can ensure I don't forget, maybe with some kudos, maybe a comment or two? Pretty please?


	12. Alice

There had been nothing but darkness.  
  
But there was sound. Gods, there was sound. A cacophonous, yet muffled symphony played on around her, the crackle of fire, the popping of wood, the scream of the wind...The scream from a more fleshy source. Alice felt it all… But all was muffled. Sounds were clear, the notes evident… But the sources, the instruments that played in this haunting, familiar wisp of a memory remained a mystery to her. Her body was encased in molasses, movements sluggish, hardly worth the effort.  
  
All was black.  
  
The doors were gone.  
  
The rumbling continued. _‘Pop’s_ and _‘snap’s_ punctuating her bleary thoughts. Not in the sense of any single coherent sentence, but rather base feelings. Intrigue. Curiosity, Fear. Loss. Desire.  
  
She wanted to find the light, to illuminate this dark and hazy space.  
  
_“Light? Light is useless if what it illuminates causes pain and suffering. Better to cast such things into the dark depths of Lethe; the river of forgetfulness.”_  
  
Forget? How could she…? It was so painful to remember. The tendrils of smoke began to invade her nose, the soot of the fire burning at her nose. It was enough to turn anyway back to the dark, to hide within its safe depths.  
  
But the light was so beautiful. It was the color of the blue skies on a cloudless day, of sun kissed skin. It was the warmth of the summer sun that caressed her cheeks, resonating deep within her skin. It was the sun’s silver rays beaming down upon her. The crooked set of a familiar smile.  
  
"Glad to have you back, sweetheart."  
  
There was a shudder from the world outside the darkness of her mind. The thorny vines slithering back into the fissures they created. Even those had sealed neatly behind them. Alice felt her body shudder in response. Blurry vision sharpening.  
  
_Dante._  
  
Cheshire was not too far away, and his wide grin was ever the comfort. Her fingers curled weakly around searing heat, the warmth radiating from the fingerless gloved hand of Dante. Drawing in a sharp breath, she attempted to pull herself into a seated position. She had expected cracking of brittle, petrified bones--Her body felt no better. And yet, limbs seemed much easier to move now that she had returned to the...Where exactly was here? It wasn’t where she remembered letting go. Attempting to severe her precious tie to this beautiful dream… This Wonderland inside her head….There had been a grey, dull sky above her, not a ceiling. A pocket of memories vanished into the aether. Her weary gaze locked on Dante's once again.  
  
A sheepish smile, words aimed for Cheshire. "Well... Better than than Rage."  
  
Cheshire hummed in appreciation "Less blood that way. You've improved in that respect. I won't miss the horns." Alice shuddered once again.  
  
"You and I both."  
  
There was a heat that spread through her cheeks signaling a return to life. She could feel her blood coursing through her veins, pulsing in her ears... And she smiled. And that smile turned into a grin that mirrored Dante's. "Not the safest way to go about clearing down our enemies... But it's effective, isn't it?"  
  
"Do not make that a habit Alice. Hysteria is unlike your Rage. You won't always come back so easily." That was considered easy? The comment bristled her nerves, her posture straightening.  
  
"I wasn't on holiday."  
  
A laugh escaped from behind Dante’s lips. She didn't know if it was out of relief, hysterics, or pure delight at hearing her sassy comeback to the cat. And it was infectious. and perhaps it was because they were both mad, or they had both been run to the edge of exhaustion today. Between the death of Rabbit, the death of Lance, the crumbling of Wonderland, the horrors that lay upon her mind. There was only so many times she could snap and fall into raving hysterics.  
  
You could only walk halfway into a forest, the other half, is walking out.  
  
Their laughter painted the foreign walls of whatever abandoned shell of a shop they had found themselves in, before her silver haired partner smirked, his hand moving from her cheek where it had rested as he helped her to drink the potion (And goodness, when had she received this? Did her body wake up before her mind? Had it even unconscious). It found a new home on her arm, just beneath her shoulder, his thumb restlessly caressing the hem of her sleeve.  
  
It wasn’t unpleasant. "While effective, I agree that it isn't safe. As stated before, we are going to have to work on your battle strategy. Can't have you showing me up, right?" He added, his smirk growing until he was actually smiling..  
  
"Pity. Here I thought I was hitting my stride." Alice breathed out forcefully, her lungs stinging from her laughter, perhaps for the first time since being in Dante's presence, or since falling into this fresh Hell, that had once been her safe place. "I'll try and tone it down. Hired you for a reason right?" She dared to wink, gripping the edge of the bench gently. A deep breath, and she braced herself for another movement, sliding her legs off the bench (Because apparently she was on one, she should really focus on her surroundings…) and onto the floor.  
  
Her legs were wobbly at best. Her frail form shivered and quaked. It took her parting her legs for a wider stance for her not to keel over. Dante took notice, and reaching out, he steadied her, his hands at her elbows. "You did hire me for a reason and that was to protect you. It seems I'm not doing too great a of job right now. You aren't quite ready to be up and adventuring again so soon. We can stay here for a while longer, let you regain more strength. I don't want you getting hurt again."  
  
"Lord, it's like a train ran through my chest."  
  
"A rather lengthy claw, actually." Alice finally broke contact from Dante to glare playfully at Cheshire.  
  
"Your reminder is appreciated, but unneeded Cat. Isn't there a ball of yarn you should be chasing?" Chesh cocked an eyebrow, but did not lose his grin. He turned to Dante.  
  
"Good luck with this one. Seems her bite is back."  
  
Before she could ‘bite’ back the comment, it was already out of Dante’s mouth and hanging in the air. "I like a woman with some bite." Alice swore that the cat snickered at him, a glance shared between them. She felt she was missing out on the joke. Had she bitten someone while she was under?  
  
It wouldn’t be the first time.  
  
"But the Queen...If we don't hurry--" Chesh hummed through her concerns.  
  
"Knave has not heeded my orders. There is time to spare." Though Cheshire did not look convinced, he shrugged. "Mirana is a tempest in her own right. She is not as helpless as she appears. Rest. You know your body is weak." He vanished soon after.  
  
Dante stretched out his body as he sat next to her, grabbing the open sides of his coat and wrapping them more tightly around her, as he pulled her back to the bench herself. She slumped against the wall with little argument. Her body was too weak to allow for hubris. He chuckled then. "I promise, we won't hang out here forever. I just want to make sure you are more prepared, in case we run into more trouble out there. Knowing our luck, trouble is sure to follow."  
  
Alice sighed. It seemed the decision was made for her. "Just long enough for me to catch my breath. Then we're gone." There was the slightest of pouts on Alice's lips. The way he picked her up, he seemed to always be stuck carrying her. She tried to fight on her own and was nearly killed in the process. How was it that he found the patience to stick around her?  
  
Right, he was being paid to.  
  
Alice sighed and curled up tighter within his coat, silently grateful for the added warmth. But she stole a glance of him through her curtain of black hair. If she ever defeated the Red Queen, if she saved Wonderland... She would be back in Rutledge once again, and for the rest of her days. She had no place to go, no home no family... Dante would only come back into her life for payment. Then be gone just as quick.  
  
The look in his eyes, the darkness that resided there finally settled into her mind, however. "This wasn't your fault."  
  
His sideways glance met hers. "I know it isn't exactly my fault but I...I'll just have to pay more attention next time. You're deceptive, you know that Alice? You fool me and I'm not usually so easily tricked." He grinned. "I'm not used to girls like you. Girls that look as if they will snap quicker than a dry twig but who fight with more heart than most men. I've yet to understand where I stand with you."  
  
It seemed laughter was easy to pull from her, the tones of mirth dropping from her lips once more. "Not the first time I've been told that. I was only six when I shattered all the Queen's plans the first time." Of course she had been a mere child then. Oblivious to what she was doing, or where she was heading half the time. She was simply wandering through the realm she thought she had imagined. A game of croquet, some foolish words, and a puny child unraveled all that one tyrant Queen had fought to control. "Somehow that seems easier than what is expected of me now. And I didn't have a blade then.."  
  
Alice rolled over onto her stomach. His last statement left her confused. No doubt it showed in her eyes as she craned her slender neck to meet his gaze once again. Silken hair cascading down one shoulder as she tilted her head slightly."What ever do you mean? Where you stand?" Surely he wasn't confused about their location...  
  
Or maybe he was. They had been in a teapot earlier.  
  
He slouched slightly, stretching his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. "It's a figure of speech...well, sort of. I mean, I don't understand our relationship. I don't understand our function with each other. I know that the way I view you changes by the hour...sometimes by the minute. I was expecting to protect you. It's my job. It's what I'm being paid for. I wasn't expecting the rest of it though..." He murmured as he trailed off, crossing his arms across his chest. It was as if he was attempting to protect himself by holding his arms across his body. Curious.  
  
Alice blinked. Her confusion only running deeper. Having pulled herself back from the brink of death, she was aware her mind wasn't the brightest at that moment. Heaven's sake, she was a committed girl in a glorified asylum. Her mind was barely coherent at the best of times.  
  
Maybe he didn't expect the baggage that went along with her. The memories, her torn sanity, the ever changing landscape and personalities of Wonderland's inhabitants. Alice was still confused by it all, and she was often called this realm's Princess.  
  
"I thought you were meant to be my replacement. But you seem to think otherwise." Alice gazed down at the bench. They seemed to be in this together now. Even if she was a just a job. She wasn't his friend--She had to remind her of it. She was a paycheque. "You... You'll be paid extra. if you're concerned. Angus has all my assets,” His jaw had set itself in a hard line again. Alice swallowed softly. She was upsetting him again. “But it won't matter once I get out of here! I won't have use for it anyway." Her mind spun to even remember her doctor’s bloody name! What did that say about her mental state?  
  
He was silent for a spell, and when the words left him next, they bordered on a growl.  
  
"Replacement?... Far from it.” But he paused then, a heavy exhale fleeing his chest, his tone softening.. “I'm your...crutch. Your rock. Your safety. I'm here to support you but you still have to do the job, Princess. You are the savior of Wonderland. Not me." Uncrossing his arms, he sighed, looking over at her out of the corner of his eye. How she would give up her Vorpal blade just to wander inside his heads. His thoughts seemed to burn with clarity in his mind. It was terribly envious trait. "Alice...I don't want your money. I don't care if I ever see a cent of that money. It's...It isn't about the money anymore."  
  
Now that just confused things further.  
  
Alice barely knew what to say. Maybe if he was someone from Wonderland she would know what to say, how to react. But... He wasn't. They may be in Wonderland now. A place she had sworn was nothing but childish fantasy. But once this all was over, and even though he was an ocean away, he was still real.  
  
Right?  
  
Her gaze was back on him again, as if trying to prove to herself that he was. He said he didn't want her money. Did she prove to be too much of a bother? No, he would have left then.  
Emerald eyes were hooded in confusion and her cheeks burned---Bashfulness? Another new emotion from Alice, but her words from their first meeting resounded in her mind. "Don't get attached." She repeated though she was a stranger to the context in which they were meant now, barely spoken above a whisper.  
  
Cheshire appeared in the blink of an eye, looking as distressed as a cat could be without being pinned under a car. "The interrogation is going south. We no longer have the luxury of idle time." Alice was shattered from her thoughts at once.  
  
Duty called.  
  
Dante nodded, all business once more. Standing, he helped Alice to her feet before looking down at the cat. "Chesh...can you take us there? Alice said before that it would be a long journey and I'm thinking we don't have that kind of time either. Even if you can get us closer--anything will do. We need to help the White Queen."  
  
This was easier. Being in control, doing this job. She watched as her partner found himself absently stroking a finger down his gun’s--Was that Ivory, or Ebony?-- cold barrel, the gesture probably just as comforting and grounding as her ticking rabbit. There was no witty remarks. No banter. Chesh leaped into Alice's arms and curled his tail around Dante's wrist. Once again they shuddered out of existence, reappearing in a darker land. It mirrored the pale realm, but inverted. All the buildings were black, the sky was the color of blood. Cheshire was transparent in Alice's arms. "This is as close as I can manage. The Red Queen's magic runs rampant here. Be careful Alice. If you are wounded here your Hysteria will not save you." Alice nodded, the cat shuddering out of existence.  
  
Alice's heart was pounding in her chest. Interrogation? Just what had they been doing to Mirana, and where was Knave?  
  
"If all this darkness is Corruption, we'll be outnumbered and over powered... We'll have to be... Stealthier this time. No leaping into battle this time.” The pawn chirped, making its reappearance (From where, Alice knew better than to ask...) hopping in Alice's pocket to dictate their path. A narrow alleyway that seemed to wind around a guard tower, a fissure in the wall that housed the Dark Castle.  
  
Alice stole a glance at Dante. Something tensed and tightened within her. He was all business again.  
  
Turning to her, he moved her so that she was facing him, closer as he bent down, fastening his coat around her and tightening the belt so that it would fit her as best as it possibly could. His hands moved quickly over her form and he patted each pocket as he explained it. The contact burned. "This is going to keep you safer. It is better protection that your dress. This pocket has a lighter. I know you don't like fire but if you have to use it, do it. We might need fire on our side in this case. This pocket has a dagger shorter than yours hidden in the lining. If you reach inside, you'll feel it's handle. And this pocket? Well.." He grinned then, and Alice found herself exhaling. Things couldn't be too dire then, right? If they could afford to smile, they would win this battle. Of all the things she had lost in this realm, between the two of them... They could win this, right?  
  
He winked then. "That just has my wallet and my cigarettes. So, if we get separated and you miss my pretty face, you've got a picture." Jokes set aside, he grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eye. Alice felt her stomach twist at the intensity that those blue orbs held. "I'm letting you go first because between you and that pawn, we have a better chance of getting to the Queen. Promise me that you won't run ahead though. That you'll listen if I tell you to do something. That you'll be careful."  
  
She patted the pockets herself, reciting the contents. This was like a proper battle strategy, and Alice felt her knees knock together. Could she do this? When he grinned, she felt she could do anything at his side. No doubt she blushed as she realized her thoughts. Hadn't she told herself not to get attached as well?  
  
"I'll be careful. I promise." With that she lead the way down the narrow path.  
  
The Dark Courtyard different in two ways from the Pale Realm's. One, it was full of people. ‘People’ being a loose term. Black personified chess pieces, Corruption laden beasts, creatures that seemed to form from the shadows, made of the darkness themselves, patrolling the perimeter, a hound-like beast stood proudly upon his hind legs, letting rip a howl to the yellow moon that hung above... It was one hell of a gathering. Too easily they would be outnumbered. Secondly, a shiny black guillotine was the focus of all their attention.  
  
And the White Queen locked in the stocks of it.  
  
"Shit..." Dante whispered, no doubt seeing the gathering from over her shoulder. This was no good. There was no way they could go into that crowd. There were too many of them.  
  
...Were there really though? Alice couldn't help but wonder--She had cleared a courtyard before. It would all be a means of slipping once more; of finding the threads of her reality and pulling on them sharply. In giving up her logic, her reason, her sense. Giving in the base, giving into Hysteria--Heaven’s sake, she could beg for Rage, and try and lay waste to the gathering before them. If it freed her Queen...But could she do it fast enough? Did they dare separate for the task?...Did she really wish to lose control like that again?  
  
For Mirana? Anything.  
  
But Dante beat her to the punch. "Alice...you need to sneak inside the castle and find the Red Queen. She isn't here. Don't you think it's strange that she isn't here to witness the death of the White Queen? Take the Pawn and get inside. I'll meet you there. I'm going to take care of this crowd. You need to stay hidden, okay?"  
  
"B-But Dante..." Her gaze was torn, her attention on him in short bursts as her eyes remained riveted on the Queen. The blade hung so delicately above her. At any second, it could come crashing down, and they would be helpless to stop it. No amount of letting go, changing form, no amount of sacrifice could gain them the speed she needed to deal with this crowd, and save her Queen in time.  
  
But she knew of a man who was fast, who had outrun a tunnel collapse.  
  
Alice raced for an option C, a venue they weren’t exploring. But Alice found none. She could fight for her option...But what if it was wrong? What if another person died because of her? Not just her guide, but her Queen, The woman who had cradled her against her chest for hours after the fire, the woman who let her tears stained her skirts when she was left alone in the span of one midwinter’s eve. The Queen who had allowed her safe refuge in her Palace, even as Wonderland turn to ash and ruin around them.  
  
She couldn't do it. One foot into the courtyard and all would know her presence. The blade would drop. There was no time to get to her, at least not as she was...  
  
Dante was her only hope. Tears were welled in her eyes, and she lunged herself forward, wrapping her arms tight around Dante's neck. Bollocks to the rule of no attachments. Bollocks that this realm was only make believe. Even if she was mad, even if it was just all in her head. These people, these characters in her head… They meant something to her.  
  
And maybe… Maybe he did too.  
  
"Be safe, Make me proud...Good luck..." Her cheeks burned but the words needed to be said, somehow giving her the strength to part from him. The Pawn pointed to a row of black rose bushes. The gap between them and the wall would be perfect for her.  
  
Alice spared one more glance at Dante before darting off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, it's another semi-timely update! (Haha, jokes, jokes...) Anyway! It's so wonderful to see new subscribers, some lovely new comments and a whole flood of kudos for this little kooky piece of work! Thank you all so very much for your time and attention! And Welcome to --As Uknownflux put it-- 'Rare-Pair Hell!'
> 
> Though how about next time you visit 'Rare-Pair Hell', perhaps leave a lovely new comment as well. Around these parts, we like to know what we're doing right! Or just stroke our egos, whatever...
> 
> If ever you are interested in delving further into this kooky crossover, there's a Tumblr for that! (Though it's sorely lacking in fan art, nudge nudge...)
> 
> http://thedevilinwonderland.tumblr.com/


	13. Dante

"Do the same for me, sweetheart," he murmured, watching the tails of his red jacket disappear behind the bushes. They would make it through this. They had to. He would will it to be so. He simply couldn't believe that he wouldn't get a chance to look at those emerald eyes one more time, or to earn another hug from her, one when she wasn't on the verge of tears. He could still feel her arms around his neck, the warmth of her body against his before she’d run off. He was torn--he'd never gone to battle with someone worried about him. Hoping that the knowledge could only bolster his luck, he cracked his knuckles. Time to rock.  
  
Stepping into the square, he wasn't noticed right away. They all had their backs to him, their attention on the Queen. In fact, the first set of eyes to land on him were those of the White Queen herself. Her expression flickered between defiant serenity and questioning, only for an instant. Giving her a minute nod, he saw her relax, a smile spreading across her beautiful face, deep brown eyes focusing in front of her once more. It was all he needed.  
  
Clearing his throat, he nearly grinned as body after body turned to face him. "Looks like there's a party going on but I'm confused. I was sure I'd be invited to something this big. Oh well—looks like the new guy is the odd man out. Bummer for all of you—I’m the life of these sorts of things.” Pulling out Ebony and Ivory, he began firing into the crowd, working to take out as many of the dark creatures as he possibly could.  
  
Of course, the creatures weren't taking this lightly. They were coming at him, weapons drawn, ready to kill the stranger in their land. Dante was ready for them though and exchanged Ivory for Rebellion, cutting down those who got near him. He worked double time to keep his enemies at bay, firing at those far away and cutting down any within arm’s reach.  
  
He was only one man however, and was soon overtaken by the creatures, now coming at him from all sides. Arrows and swords impaled his torso, arms and legs. It wasn't until his blood was staining the ground that the creatures realized it would take much, much more than that to kill him.  
  
In the distance, the tinkling of the White Queen's laugh could be heard. Their Hunter had something to fight for after all.  
  
It had taken some wiggling, but she had managed to do it! The guillotine blade sent careening into the hoard of demons, cutting most of them clean in half. The blade soon then exploded, injuring many more with its shrapnel. Queen Mirana made quick work of the lock, having managed to slip her hands free, and chuckled victoriously to the half slaughtered crowd.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't a new Champion to take on the old bitch." It seemed this Queen knew how to take care of herself as well, especially having seen Alice dart from the boy's side minutes ago. They were connected and their young Princess was safe. "Dear boy, be a peach and fetch my things from inside. Seems some _precious_ jewel has been left alone." The demons were raging, unhappy to lose both their numbers and their hostage. Queen Mirana leapt off of the side of the stage, a brilliant white force purging the ground beneath her. With every step she took, she purified the very Earth, her magic reaching far and wide.  
  
Locking eyes with the Queen once more, he nodded. She would be able to handle the rest and he could continue to cut them down as he fought his way to the castle. There was only one thing on his mind now.  
  
_Alice._  
  
Pulling weapons from his body, he used them against their master's, creating a path of carnage in his wake as he made his way to the Castle's entrance. Alice would have had to sneak in, to hide. She was small so sneaking would be easy for her. The same wasn’t true for himself though. He’d come in with a bang and entering the castle would likely be the same. With his entrance and his stature, he could afford to take a more direct route. The Red Queen would know they were here by now and he could only hope that he got to her before she got to the Princess.  
  
Pushing open the heavy doors of the castle, he was surprised to find that there was no onslaught of guards. In fact, as soon as the door closed behind him, the place was eerily quiet. The entire castle was dark, dimly lit by torches placed in sconces on the walls. He didn't have a lot of time, of that much he was sure.  
  
Stepping forward, he continued to pull weapons from his body, keeping what he thought was useful and dropping whatever didn't suit his purpose. His boot prints were bloody as he traveled deeper into the castle, the search for the Red Queen and his Alice now in full pursuit.  
  
The walls were covered in bleeding red vines, their thorns thick and menacing as they dripped. He wasn’t sure what bled more—himself or the creepy plants. As he wandered the halls, he wanted to call out to his companion, wanted to run and overturn the place. However, he knew that such efforts could only serve to harm her, should she be in the midst of something.  
  
A sound caught his attention and he frowned, unable to place it at first. It was…almost birdlike. Like…chirping? It was more shrill than a bird though, almost annoying and…panicked.  
  
The Pawn.  
  
The creature ran into his legs before he could turn around, hopping on his boot covered feet and going off like a siren, clearly in distress.  
  
Seeing the Pawn alone and terrified could only mean one thing. Dropping to his knee, he frowned. “Alice…where is she?”  
  
When the Pawn did it's best to shake his head, he felt his heart sink into his stomach. She wasn't here. That much was clear. The Pawn wouldn't have left her unless she was in a great deal of trouble. Scooping the poor creature up, he headed back towards the doors, running, uncaring that his wounds weren't healed, uncaring that he was leaving evidence of his existence behind. He had to find Alice and he had to find her fast.  
  
Heading back out into the square, he stared at the scene before him. Hundreds of bodies lay slain on the ground, the last one held up in the Queen's hand before she tossed it aside like a piece of trash. All of this and her dress remained pristine and crisp, as if she'd simply returned from a tea party or a dance.  
  
Upon seeing the Queen, the pawn hopped from Dante's grasp towards her, shrieking the news of what it had seen. Dante followed, his hands fisted. "She's gone, your majesty. Alice isn't in the castle."  
  
The pawn was shrieking at this point, terrified and frantic to get its point across. How luckily for all of them that the Queen could understand even the youngest of her subjects. Queen Mirana knelt before her littlest subject and gathered the traumatized piece in her arms, much like Alice had done in the times before. "Little darling, tell me your woes. What has happened to our dear Alice?" The pawn chirped, it's single eye weeping.  
  
Queen Mirana's face fell, and if it were possible, she was even more pale.  
  
"No wonder I didn't see the bitch. This wasn't her doing. It's Hatter." The pawn continued to chirp, and the Queen nodded, tears welling in her own eyes.  
"He's gone. Back to his part of the realm, no doubt."  
  
The Cheshire cat was quick to appear, though looking a little less regal than before. His smile was still in tact but it was now exhausted, his fur beyond mangy. He even looked patchy in some areas of his coat. "Good to see you with your head in tact, your Highness."  
  
"Cheshire Cat, The Hatter has taken Alice. He will have taken her to his realm. This boy must follow." The Queen commanded. Chesh gulped visibly.  
  
"A clockwork factory that holds his prisoners for testing...As well as an Asylum..." Chesh turned to Dante. "Are you ready?"  
  
"For anything," the hunter responded without a second thought, looking down at Cheshire. The cat leapt to his shoulders, curling his tail around Dante's neck. Looking at the Queen, Dante promised, "I'm bringing her back with me. She'd be very unhappy if she didn't get the chance to see you again, your Majesty."  
  
Gazing at the White Queen a moment longer, he fixed his steely glance on the creature perched upon his shoulders and nodded. "Let's go. I have something I need to retrieve from this Hatter."  
  
Chesh nodded, and the world around them vanished. The realm they were met with was no better. In fact, it was leagues worse. Cheshire shuddered, every hair on his body standing on end. A steam punk style hospital surrounded them. Everything was steam or clockwork powered. The floor was smeared with blood, formerly pristine white walls now yellowed with age. Various gibberish sayings were inscribed upon the walls in blood and there were strange mirrors at odd places, on the ceiling, the floor. To add to the insanity, beds were strapped to the walls.  
  
The inhabitants were no better. Childish laughter was not a pleasant sound, a few children stumbled out of one room, blood on their hands and chuckling like the devil itself possessed them.  
  
A tall, round man approached the children, a red and white stripped shirt tucked beneath a bloodied lab coat. "Nasty, crazed things. Give me back my needle!" Chesh hissed at the man, nails digging into Dante’s shoulder by accident.  
  
"I'm sorry I could not hone in on her exact location. Please be quick to find her. He has plans far worse than death for Alice. Especially in a place like this." There was a child's scream. A small body sunk to the floor in a fit of uneasy giggles. The tall man huffed and vanished into his room once again. "Tweedle Dee and Dum. The orderlies. This does not bode well for Alice's sanity..."  
  
"Agreed," Dante muttered, feeling uneasy himself. How long would his Alice hold up in such an institution? She was strong but these were the very demons she was weakest against. These were the type to get inside her head and trick her into thinking she was the problem. These were the people who wanted to hurt her most.  
  
Looking to Cheshire, he smoothed his hand down the Cat's back once, a sign of appreciation and friendship. "I'll find her Chesh. Go for now but keep an ear out for me. I'll need a quick escape to somewhere safe once I have her. Somewhere we can trust and somewhere we can rest. She will need it."  
  
He didn't mention that he was sure he would need it as well. Instead, he watched the cat disappear. He wasn't entirely sure that Chesh had left but at least he wasn't visible any longer. The last thing he needed was another creature to worry about.  
  
He had two options. He could go higher up into the hospital or further into it's depths and explore the basement. Naturally he wanted to head up but he remembered that Alice had often explained to him exactly how topsy turvy this world was. Going against instinct seemed the right decision in Wonderland. With that in mind, his feet headed for the staircase leading down.  
  
Laughter and screams bounced off the walls of the stairwell, bloody hand prints smeared on nearly every surface. On one landing, a small boy paler than a ghost stood and stared at him, making no effort to connect to what could possibly be the only other living soul on this floor. Continuing down, Dante could only hope that Alice was fighting with everything she had.

  


*~*~*~*~*

It felt as if he had been walking down these stairs forever. He had to wonder, was he still actually walking _downstairs_ or had he perhaps gotten confused and turned himself around? Was he somehow heading _up_ now?  
  
Shaking his head, he fought to get rid of ideas like that. It was the trick of this place, he knew it. It was meant to drive you mad before you could actually accomplish anything. With all of the screaming, the laughter, and the random flickers of light making you think that there was a ghostly child in every corner, it was enough to put anyone in a nicely padded room for the rest of their lives.  
  
To add to his misery, he now heard singing. Not just any singing of course but the voice of a small girl, as shaky and unstable as his sanity was beginning to feel. In fact, he felt so dazed that he was shocked when his feet landed on the ground floor. He nearly stumbled when he realized that there were no more steps to go down. He had reached the bottom. The singing had stopped but he could see a pale figure up ahead of him. A small girl in a white apron, long dark curls hanging about her shoulders, emerald eyes wide and worried. Blinking, he tested to see if she would disappear after closing his eyes. When she was still there, muttering to herself, he felt the first inkling of hope return to his mind. She looked so like his Alice from here...it had to be a sign.  
  
Approaching her slowly and cautiously, he held both of his hands in the air, fingers spread to show that he wasn't carrying anything. As he drew closer, he spoke with the utmost care, his voice gentle but hoarse from his body's beating. "Hey there....can you help me? I'm looking for my friend and I'm wondering if you've seen her."  
  
Wide green eyes turned to him as she shuffled a little closer, rising up onto her tiptoes. She was so small, she hardly even reached his knees! Clutched in her arms was a stuffed rabbit, it’s button eyes a sweet touch to a child’s play thing. “I believe I have your wallet,” she answered, her voice rather well mannered and sophisticated for a child of her age. Her head tilted as she looked him up and down before decided to reach into her apron pocket and pull out the wallet she carried. Reaching inside, she pulled out a plastic card and held it up, checking his face against the picture. Slowly, a smile crossed her lips.  
  
"My name is Alice. I've been lost here for a while. I can't find her either." Little Alice wrapped her little arms around one of his legs, sighing happily, despite his bloodied state. "Shall we look together?"  
  
He was rocked by her admission, his heart thudding to a stop in his chest. She said that her name was Alice. It was as if the moment had come full circle, as he thought of the last time he'd seen his Alice, her thin arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she begged him to be careful in battle. Now, an even smaller version of her clung to his leg, his blood on her apron but a smile upon her face.  
  
Bending down, he delicately untangled her arms from around his leg and gave her a soft smile. "I think we shall. Between, you, your rabbit, and I, I am sure we will be able to find her. Does that sound like a plan to you?"  
  
It was most certainly his Alice staring back at him, her emerald eyes missing the layer of terror and horror that he was used to. Instead, they shown brightly with curiosity, and dare he believe it, hope. Picking her up, he set her on his shoulders, giving her a much higher vantage point. Her thin legs dangled against his chest as he warned, "You can hang on, but no pulling the hair, okay kiddo? You're going to be able to see everything we need to see from up there."  
  
The little Alice giggled and nodded, wrapping her arms around Dante's neck gently, small lips pressed against the crown of his head. This child was without fear or trauma, but her spirit was just as strong as it could have been in her older counterpart. Perhaps even stronger, given she seemed not to care about their dire situation. She seemed only miffed.  
  
"I heard her calling. Is Dante your name?" She paused and tugged on his hair gently to steer his directions when his footsteps failed to fall in the correct places. "Mind walking the right way if you wish to lead?" Despite her size and age, the sass was ever the same. Was it any wonder she toppled the Red Queen at such a young age?  
  
"Dum and Dee have her. She must be with the other patients." The little Alice huffed and rested against Dante. "They were disgusting and foul louts before, nothing will have changed." Seemed this Alice was well aware of the traumas her elder half faced. She was simply a fraction of her. Her fighting spirit.  
  
Dante followed the young girl's steering instructions, glad that she knew where they should go. Normally, kids were far from his sort of thing, but he could see why all of Wonderland had fallen in love with her. Beyond being so cute it was criminal, she was brilliant and burned brightly, shining strong enough to give other's hope along the way. Had she stayed in Wonderland, Alice would have grown into a Princess impossible to topple. As it was, he was hoping that he could help her regain the position she so rightfully deserved.  
  
Knowing that Alice had been calling for him was a double edged sword. One the one hand, it meant that she trusted him enough to reach out for him, to look to him when she saw trouble.  
  
On the other hand, it meant that a great deal of trouble had swallowed her up.  
  
He only hoped that she trusted that he would come. That he had proven to her that he meant to be true to his promise, to protect her. He'd done a piss poor job thus far, but he wasn't nearly ready to give up. The kiss the little girl had pressed to his head only fueled his need to find his Alice.  
  
"Dum and Dee...I saw one of them earlier. Don't worry sweetheart, I'll be disposing of them quickly. Nothing is going to stop us from saving her. Especially not those tweedle idiots."  
  
“They took me away from her so long ago. With their strange pills and shots. Every time they see her it was harder for me to stay. She doesn't remember anything, Dante. Every time I try and tell her it brings her pain." The child huffed, playing with the vest on her rabbit.  
  
"Mean, hateful creatures." Little Alice paused as they broke away from the staircase. A hall of mirrors greeted them, more like a maze. "Careful. The reflections expose realities, rather than the item it echoes." The child sighed, gazing at the mirror. A child was not reflected. It was current Alice. Restrained and beaten, a short but round man pulling away from her with an empty needle.  
  
His words were silent, but he was laughing. The older Alice only sat, eerily still, eyes unseeing.  
  
"They kill her memories. Just like Angus does."  
  
Dante reached out towards the mirror, his fingers grazing the surface where Alice's body lay in the reflection. His Alice. They were dousing her fire with shots and pills and torture.  
  
At the mention of Angus' name, Dante felt a burning hatred building in his chest. The next mirror didn't give away his reflection as he was now. It showed his Devil Trigger, mercilessly slaying innocents back home. He knew that was a simple trick, one pulled from a lack of understanding. He was always in control when it came to his Devil Trigger. Maybe not of his anger but of his mind--he would never harm a pure soul.  
  
As they continued onward, he saw multiple reflections that forced him to keep his eyes forward. His mother's death played over and over but it wasn't something he didn't already know about. His brother succumbing to the darkness was another popular reflection.  
  
There were others that were false realities, things he knew he'd never done. He saw himself slaughter Lady, one of his partners back home. He also saw himself somewhere that he didn't recognize as a place he'd been before. It looked similar to where they were now except it was much cleaner. "Rutledge..." he murmured, placing the name with the space. He'd not been there. He knew he hadn't.  
  
"The mirrors...they try to show false futures. To scare you into thinking you'll do something terrible. Close your eyes Alice...we are almost out."  
  
When they made it beyond the worst of the mirrors, he instructed that she could open her eyes again. Up ahead, he heard a sound that had his skin itching. The laughter of the Tweedles.  
  
Once they were out of the maze of mirrors, Alice hugged Dante the best she could, as if hoping to comfort them both after the horrors they had seen. Her small body was trembling, but the laughter of the Tweedles seemed to ground the child once more.  
  
"These two hold Alice captive. But Hatter has taken hostages of his own for his experiments." Alice fiddled with a button on her plush rabbit's vest. "I heard them. Dormy, March Hare, Gryphon. They're all in the factory" She paused then, wiggling her feet, as if unsure if she should speak any further. Biting into her lower lip, she bravely asked, "When we save Alice, can you find them with her? She'll need all her friends to take on the Red Queen..."  
  
Up ahead the hallway was warped, the floor uneasy, empty beds strapped to the ceiling, flames, fake or real, licked at the walls but gave off no heat. If there was to be a ward created for Alice's madness, this would be it. The fact that there was a large open room where the Tweedles sat, a heavily locked cell behind them only confirmed it.  
  
"I think she can go another round, Dum, eh wot? I haven't had quite my fill of her. But I know you like 'em stiff and unwilling." Shorter twin said to the taller one. "Pretty thing she is. She'll make a fine doll for you."  
  
"Know how. But if she had any real meat on her bones she'd made a delectable dish." The small Alice shuddered and growled, squirming to get off Dante without tumbling.  
  
"Foul, foul creatures! I'll take the smaller one if you take the larger one." This little Alice came ready for a fight, producing a set of jacks from her apron pocket.  
  
A nod was the only thing Dante could handle before a growl ripped itself from his throat and he charged forward. The momentum he gained would have been enough to knock the larger of the twins to the ground but the brute strength he used slammed him into a wall, shaking the very foundation of the building. His eyes burned red and his hand wrapped around the fat man’s throat. His skin transformed, his fingers growing claws as a darkness settled over his arm. "You motherfucking cock sucker. You are going to suffer for ever touching her."  
  
Pulling out Ebony, he shot the man in the foot, the pain causing him to let out a feral scream. A dangerous smile crossed the Hunter’s lips then. "Go ahead. Scream. I want her to know that you are hurt. I want her to know that you are going to scream louder and longer than any patient in this fucked up hell."  
  
Little Alice was quick to join the scene, dashing along the floor and dropping her jacks everywhere. The smaller of the twins followed her all the same, avoiding the easily missed traps as he fought to close the space between them.  
  
Then she spun on her pretty little heel, the ball in her hand. "This will hurt." A sweet smile hid a darker intent as she threw the ball at the ground where it hissed and bounced like a bullet, slamming into the twin and sending him sliding along the floor. A jack embedded itself into his back, growing slightly in size before vanishing.  
  
"D-Dum!" But his brother was in no state to help. Little Alice grinned and ran for the door, jumping up to grab the lock and begin to work on it. However, a force seemed to hit the small child, sending her into her own traps, a jack puncturing her hand and pinning her to the floor. Dee just grinned. "Never mind. I'll slaughter the creature. Know how."  
  
If Dante had thought he had control over his trigger, he had been sorely mistaken. The transformation happened so quickly that he was almost unaware of it. Fingers squeezing to crush the trachea of the fat man in his hands, he turned and threw Dum into Dee, sending them both flying. "Not a chance," he growled, furious that the idiots had even thought that they would have the right to look upon the child on the floor.  
  
Charging at them, he didn't bother with weapons. His bare hands would do nicely. Planting a knee in both of their groins, he pinned them to the ground, Alice's jacks puncturing their skin as they were forced to lay on the sharp toys.  
  
His hands were splayed out across their chests and with an almost feral growl, he plunged his fingers into their fat carcasses, wrenching their blackened hearts out and holding them in front of their stubby noses. He watched as he made them witness their own demise, the life fading from their eyes but the horror apparent on their paling faces.  
  
When he knew that they were gone, he dropped the hearts and pulled out his guns, destroying each organ with a multitude of bullets. His transformation fell away like a second skin and he turned to Alice, blue eyes returned. Kneeling next to her, he pulled the jack from her hand, freeing her. "I need your help with the lock," he murmured, his voice low and hoarse. Had he really just done all of that in front of a child? What had spurred that on? What had made him so angry to lose himself that way?  
  
The young girl shrank away from him but nodded all the same. Her smile was gone, her hand was bleeding, and her little chest shook with pent up sobs. She snatched up her rabbit with her good hand, her emerald eyes near overflowing with unshed tears as she moved back to the locked door. When a tear fell down her face, she swiped at it with a bloodied hand, trying to mask her fear. “Don’t hurt her,” she whispered, the warning clear.  
  
Pulling a pin from her dark locks, she rammed it into the lock and began to wiggle it about. She hissed in pain and struggled not to cry, her body seeming much more fragile and weak than she had been moments earlier. The lock sprang open, and little Alice fled from the door.  
  
"I...I can't go near her. It'll destroy us both." She made herself busy with retrieving her ball and jacks, her blood slowly staining the room as she worked.  
  
The older Alice, the real Alice, sat in the corner of her padded cell. Numb and quiet, her gaze was on her legs. Her stockings had been wretched down, cuts and bruises now marring them. A particularly nasty jagged cut had working its way up her thigh. She made no noise, just the odd tear falling down her dirtied pale cheek.  
  
If he didn’t know any better, he would have sworn he’d torn his own heart from his chest. First, he’d terrified the child—and what and idiot he had been, triggering like that in front of her! She must have thought him a monster!  
  
However, no matter how monstrous he’d acted, it was nothing in comparison to what he saw now. His heart stilled in his chest as he took in the sight of his Alice, bloodied and beaten and broken in the cell. He wanted to run to her, to take her in his arms and shield her from all of the terrible things the world had done to harm her. Instead, he took it one step at a time, approaching her as one would a scared animal.  
  
In what was becoming his signature gesture, he held his hands up in the air, his bloody fingers splayed to display that he meant her no harm. Dropping to his knees, he winced as he was reminded of the shape he was in. His body wasn't healing as quickly as it should be, his energy having been spent on his trigger.  
  
Alice was unmoving, her body unresponsive to his presence--Did she even acknowledge him? Or was she simply spent? "Alice, we have to go. The twins can't hurt you anymore." Alice remained as still and silent as a grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there everyone, Ha, like I was going to keep on a normal posting schedule. I try people! I try! But you know what would help? What would be a sweetest kick to my butt that I need to push out these chapters at a less than glacial pace? Feedback! Just drop a simple comment, let me know that you're enjoying this wild tale this mad mind is spinning. Please? Pretty please!
> 
> Until then, see you... Whenever!


	14. Alice

How long had she been here?  
  
Days, months, years...The time felt endless. The ticking of the clock had stretched on, that time had grown impatient, and barreled on without her, leaving her in this limbo between future and past. The pull of time lost its meaning to alice, as she stared on ahead in the confines of her cell. A familiar room. Familiar padding, stained yellow, and a rusted brown in various places, a smear of maroon decorated one of the walls around her. Alice had her suspicions on the substance, but she found it better for her mind just to find a object in the design, like one of Asylum’s ridiculous ink blots. As if seeing a rabbit or a grinning cat in smeared ink was meant to allow insight into the hell that was her mind.  
  
Though curiosity still gripped her. The smears. They looked like flames. And a splatter in the corner resembled a centaur. What would the asylum doctors think of that?  
  
It mattered not. She knew there were no men or women of medicine to be found in this place. Only unruly orderlies. She could hear them bickering outside of the door now. And had she the strength, she would be able to force herself to her feet-even without the use of her hands--- to see out the miniscule window, placed high in the door. Instead her gaze dropped weakly down to her stockings. Her pretty little stockings. Everyone’s favorite. Mirana always said they made her seem so charming. Lance, he always jested that the stripes made it easier to see when she was stumbling. But now? One lay scrunched around about her ankle, a litter of bruises in their wake.  
  
When the door flung open, Alice barely twitched. Her head lowered slightly, finding another smudge to ‘decode’ as another figure entered the room. She barely wished to think, there was a sludge in her head, making the appendage heavy, and weigh heavy upon her neck. But her mind ticked on, albeit at a slow pace. Her newest companion...It must have been Dum now. She had caught early on that they were taking turns with her, bickering when one went so much as a minute over the time they had been allotted last. She knew what would happen when he had his time with her. Dum was rougher than Dee. His fingers hurt, and his body stole her breath when it lay against her. In her current state she was helpless to defend herself. Her gaze stayed on the edge of Dante's coat. Still wrapped around her form underneath the straitjacket. It was a comfort. If she still had his coat, she was in Wonderland then... Right?  
  
She wasn’t in a place to answer, even her own questions. She saw the shadow cross the room, felt the violation when it fell upon it. Was it better to brace herself, or to focus on the red of Dante’s coat, when this would pick up again. Either had to be better than screaming and crying for their amusement, and then the pin pricks in her arms to stop her thrashing. It was no better than the Asylum. No better than Rutledge...  
  
She couldn't handle any more of this.  
  
"P-please... No more..."  
  
"Oh sweetheart..."  
  
The figure whispered softly, and Alice felt the pull of a smile on her lips. It was a gentle voice. She liked that. perhaps Dee and Dum had found a friend to settle their quarrel. The figure crouched down alongside her, but her head couldn’t make the effort to raise and meet him. She couldn’t fight, she couldn’t run. Even though the door remained open--a first. Wasn’t he afraid she would try? He must have known he could overpower her. He must have known how the others had weakened her. There was so much pain lingering below her waist, she doubted she could walk in a straight line, much less run in one.  
  
Fingerless glove covered hands gingerly entered her vision, calloused, red soaked fingers working on the straps that bound her arms. "No more Alice. I'm not going to let them do anymore.” Was he sent to kill her then? Were they done playing with her? The voice continued on. “I'm not going to hurt you, I'm going to save you. You can hit me, you can hate me, but I am getting you out of here alive." The straps were undone, and as her arms settled on their own, pain ripped through her arm. A cry escaped her, muffled and weak.  
  
A curse was quick on her companion's lips.  
  
Gingerly, the jacket was slid from her shoulders, fingers careful not to graze against her, until they came to grips with her shoulders, forcing her bone to click into place, and rewarding himself with another cry. He was gentle… Whoever he was, Alice’s gaze remained solely upon the blood soaked fingers as they wiped themselves upon the canvas straitjacket, another string of curses spilling from his lips, the sounds only pulling at her lips once more. Slowly, he grabbed the tops of her misplaced stocking and edged them up her thigh, Alice marveled over the skill. he must have been very good at this...Was he a doctor? He pulled them as high as he felt he could before smoothing down the hem of her tattered dress once more.  
  
"I know you don't like it but it's our only option. I'm going to pick you up, okay?"  
  
She made no qualms, she nodded. But it took more out of her than it should have, her head slumping down upon her chest. The man slid his arms underneath her and lifted her, and she was grateful for the barrier of Dante’s coat in between them. He wasn’t here, but he was protecting her. Somehow.  
  
Being protected… What a foreign concept…  
  
The man, dressed in darks, reeking of blood , cradled her to his chest, he called out softly, "Chesh...get us out of here."  
  
He knew Cheshire? The cat appeared without fail, ever at the ready, Looking weary himself, Cheshire's hardened expression softened as their gazes met, as he sat himself upon the boots of her savior.  
  
Was it him…?  
  
Cheshire sighed. "She cannot hide from this place. But you both will not make progress in your current states."  
  
"I'll hold them off here..." A small,fierce, feminine voice offered. Cheshire nodded in response and stretched along the dark pant leg of her savior.  
  
"Dear Alice, can you hear me?" She could. It was a relief. Her body shuddered, a sob escaping her.  
  
“Chesh…”  
  
Cheshire nodded, and then leapt, She felt his tail swish about her chest, as he curled himself around the shoulders of her savior, muttering to the man, and as shuddered around them.  
  
Disgustingly dark and dirtied cell gave way to a bright and pristine room. So bright that Alice pressed herself further into the chest of her savior, her eyes screwing shut from the sharp contrast. She listened to the sound of breath exhaling from the broad chest that held her steady, and braced herself once more. Fluttering open her eyes, she took in the blindingly bright sights before them. White and marble was the theme. Fine, ornate furniture, a spacious bed with freshly fluffed white duvets, there was the sound of running water coming from an attached room. The room pulled at her memory. She knew this room.  
  
Home.  
  
Safe.  
  
The fog dissipated in the least, she could hear Cheshire mutter behind her. "I will find Mirana. Clean yourself up, Dante. Alice does not need to see you in such a state."  
  
Dante.  
  
She felt him nod, approaching the bed, laid her down as carefully as if she were made of glass. Tucking his coat around her, he followed the sound of the water into the other room.  
  
_Dante._  
  
“D-Dante…”  
  
“Yes, my sweet Alice. That was Dante. You gave him quite a fright… You gave all of us a fright.” And through the weariness that hung heavy on her form, Alice forced her head to snap to attention, Vertigo gripped her form as she forced her gaze to turn, but it mattered not. The gentle, feminine voice pulled at her strength.  
  
“Y-Your Majesty.”  
  
Queen Mirana was quick to walk into her vision. “No, my sweet, none of that. Mirana is more than good enough, Sweet Alice.” Her bright, pristine white dress, her dark tresses and chocolate brown eyes quick to bore into hers. Alice felt herself unlock then. The key inserted, turned, and her body set free from the grips Dee and Dum had had them in. Her body quaked violently. And uncaring about the bruises and the blood and her filthy, filthy body, Mirana enveloped her tightly in her arms. Alice didn’t even care for the pain that rang in her shoulder. She cared to be closer to this woman, and the smell of lavender and vanilla that lingered on her form, and the way her arms held her tight, even as they set themselves to undoing the ties and zipper of her dress. “Yes my sweet, you’re safe now. Come, let’s get you out of these filthy things. I have a dress for you, and fresh stockings, and look! Salve!” She chuckled, as if it were a mere scraped knee she were consoling her from.  
  
Alice acquiesced. “Did… Did Dante…?”  
  
“I couldn’t tell him, no,” Mirana smiled, as she made quick work of the process. Alice felt a cloth run along her form, chilling cold bit into her legs, and was spread along her shoulder. “I’ll have them draw you a bath later, but how about this for now? Can you raise your arms for me Alice?” She could. “Brilliant girl. Sit up for me.” She did. “This hunter friend of yours is terribly efficient. You should have seen him in the courtyard… Should have seem him when it was evident that you were gone.”  
  
Dante… Why was he still here? “He’ll die if he stays here…” Her head rolled up weakly.“Please, send him home… Before they hurt him too.”  
  
Alice soon found herself dressed and primed, perched at the end of the bed like a good girl. Mirana had produced a fine sterling hairbrush, and began to work it through her own dark, tangled tresses. She must have looked a terrible sight, compared to the beautiful pale Queen before her. Mirana’s skin was snow white, compared to her stained, color splotched limbs. Her hair shone like stars in the night sky, while her own lay dull and dead atop her head. She could not see her own eyes… But if they reflected how she felt, they were struggling to return to life, while those chocolate orbs merely smiled in comfort. “Sweet girl. Your bleeding heart knows no bounds…”  
  
She paused then. The action enough to cause Alice’s own gaze to raise in weakened curiosity. her body slumped against the post of her canopy bed. Mirana smiled to a figure just outside of her vision. Cheshire? Dante? Knave? "You brought her back in relatively one piece.”--Dante, then--“And I'm glad to see you have fared well for yourself." There was a dry humor to her tone. Mirana sighed and drew herself to her full height, approaching Dante and inspecting him herself.  
  
"I'm sorry I let you go after her in such a state. It must have been hell." Turning weakly, Alice witnessed Mirana draw him in then. Hugging him as a mother would her young. She craned her neck to place a kiss on his forehead. "But you went after her all the same. You have my gratitude, and the power of my Kingdom for whatever you shall need. After this battle as well." She was smiling warmly. "You will always have a place in my home, as does Alice. Now can I get you anything. Food, drink, hard liquor, cigarette?" She cooed with a playful grin.  
  
Alice's clockwork rabbit found its way back into her hands, ticking away as she curled within herself. If Dante was smart, he would ask for a way home...  
  
"Let me stay with her."  
  
The fool. Alice found the strength to scoff, though it came out more as a cough than anything else. She witnessed Queen Mirana smiled warmly to Dante, her touch gentle as it grasped his forearms. "Do not think you have failed her.” Her gaze narrowed, how? He had saved her, again. How could he have failed her? “You saved my life and hers twice, thrice times over?" She asked with a smile. Alice cringed. Painful… But true. "I could not have picked a better protector for our Princess."  
  
He would have made a better replacement.  
  
Queen Mirana pulled away from him then, doting gaze meeting hers, As she parted from Dante, she bent over, brushing a piece of wayward hair from her face. "Alice. Such a beautiful girl. Do eat with us tonight. Please? It's been so long." Alice nodded gently, but held her rabbit tight. Mirana kissed her cheek and pulled away from her.  
  
"Rest my champions. We will not send you into such danger in such states." A stern motherly tone. But a warm smile accompanied it. She glanced at the both of them, a sly smirk on her lips as she left them.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone so their reviews and kudos so far on this work. I know my update schedule is utter shite. But thanks everyone for sticking with me! Don't forget to comment! It's quite honestly the one way to guilt me into moving my butt faster for you guys!


	15. Dante

Dante wasn't sure if the Queen leaving was such a good idea. Watching her white skirts disappear behind the closing door, he swallowed hard, a sigh on his lips. Would Alice be okay, left alone with him? He knew that he'd die before he hurt her, but would he scare her? She’d been put through so much, her tormentors had all been men and with the way he’d scared the younger version of his partner…Well, he wasn’t feeling too confident in his abilities as a caretaker.  
  
He couldn't give in to such thoughts, however. Queen Mirana had named him as her protector and he would do whatever it took to live up to the title. He would work to protect her, body and soul. Whatever it took, he would make sure that she came out of this ordeal in one piece.  
  
He took his time approaching the bed, his bare feet quiet against the marbled floors. This place was beyond luxurious. It almost seemed a crime for him to be in the room in the state he was in. He’d cleaned up the best he could, leaving his bloodied boots in the bathroom. He’d washed his shirt out in the sink, scrubbing away at the grime and the blood until the water ran clear. Of course, it was the only shirt he had and so, he’d hung it on a delicate little hook, leaving it to dry. He didn’t exactly want to approach Alice shirtless but he supposed it was better than approaching her bloody.  
  
His torso had taken a great deal of damage and he’d cleaned the wounds the best he could, wiping at any dried blood and stopping the rest from flowing freely. He would heal in time…He just needed that time to be on his side. As for now, he had done the best he could, even going so far as to comb some of the blood from his hair and set it in a somewhat presentable state.  
  
Giving Alice a wide berth, he sat on the bed near the opposite post, tilting his head back so it leaned against the ornately carved wood. The room was beautiful, full of blindly white comforts and cold marble. It could have been stark and dreary but there was a warmth here that drew him in. It was…almost homey. Not that he had much to compare it to—Devil May Cry was entirely the opposite, dark and worn down and dressed in his signature colors.  
  
Still…He could appreciate a nice room while he was in one.  
  
Looking to his companion, his heart sank. She looked posed, pretty…like a doll. The Queen had left her in a white dress and a fresh pair of stockings, her hair brushed and laying prettily about her shoulders. Rabbit was back in her hands and, if one didn’t look closely it would be easy to believe that none of this had ever happened. That she was simply a pretty girl sitting and waiting for someone to talk to.  
  
However, one look into those emerald eyes and all he could see was terror.  
  
He wanted to ease that fear. He wanted to replace it with something happier. He wanted to see her eyes sparkle with delight.  
  
And reluctantly, he admitted that he wanted to be the one to make all of those things happen.  
  
However, he wasn’t sure how long he would have with her. He had responsibilities back home and she had an entire life that didn’t include him. How long did he think she’d have him staying by her side, especially with how poor of a protector he was proving to be?  
  
Sighing, he pushed such thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time to think ahead to the future. It was the time to focus on her, on what he could do for her in the present. His blue eyes were soft, his voice quiet as he murmured, “You can sleep, if you’d like. I’ll stay up in case you have any sort of nightmares…”  
  
It was a pathetic offer. Of course she would have nightmares! He expected them himself, after simply traveling that asylum. She had experienced it though, both here and in her reality. How could she not be plagued by night terrors?  
  
She remained still and quiet for a long while, her only movement being her fingers slipping from her rabbit to clutch at the lace hem of the dress Queen Mirana had put her in. Slowly, her head began to shake back and forth, her lips parting as she worked to form a response. "I...I... Too many. Too many nightmares... I...don't want to see it again.” Her fingers twitched at her tights, fingers running along the cuts. She was struggling to speak. "I...I was wrong. I didn’t cut myself...only the one time..."  
  
His brow furrowed at her words. Cheshire had warned him of such things. He had to wonder—had she been forced through so much, felt so much pain that her body decided to simply add to it and reveal the truth of her memories to her? He knew that remembering details of her past caused her pain but what if the opposite was true as well? What if feeling pain also caused her to remember?  
  
Moving closer to her, he kept a good distance between them, ducking his head to try and meet her gaze. “You mean…before? In Rutledge?” He wanted nothing more than to reach out to her, to take her into his arms and make promises he simply had no power over. Promises like ‘everything will be okay’ and ‘no one will ever harm you again’. He knew all too well of the monsters in his realm and he was beginning to learn that they were thick in this realm as well. There was no way he could make such promises without breaking them just as quickly.  
  
Alice nodded. "I...I remembered them. They hurt me before...before Rutledge." The girl was trembling now. Green eyes were dark and clouded, pupils dilated. “They…they said you were dead.” Her eyes lifted then and she shifted on the bed, sealing the space between them. Her face pressed against the bare skin of his chest, her tears falling hot and hard, her body quivering with sobs as she tried to bury her pain against him.  
  
“They said you all were dead and it was all my fault…” Lifting her head, her eyes were frantic, tears streaming down her face as she searched out his blue gaze. “Did I die too then?”  
  
His breath escaped him at that simple question, his heart breaking over the innocence and the pain behind it. He couldn’t resist any longer—he needed to hold her, to try and reassure her that everything would be alright even when he knew it wouldn’t. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her into his lap and cradled her there. His arms were strong around her, refusing to let her go but promising not to hold her captive either. Too many times she had been made a captive—he wouldn’t add to that number.  
  
Looking down into her tear-stained face, he used his one callused thumb to wipe at the streaks of pain washing down her cheeks. Gently, he pressed a kiss to her furrowed brow. “No, sweetheart. You didn’t die. I didn’t die. Queen Mirana didn’t die. We are all alive and so very happy to have you back with us. You were very brave, Alice. Right now though? You don’t have to be brave anymore. I’ll be brave for you. Those two men? They can’t ever hurt you again. You’re safe here.”  
  
He couldn’t be sure if she really heard his words or not. She nodded in response to them, the tears coming faster and harder. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she squeezed her body tighter against his. Her tears fell wet upon his chest but he didn’t care. She could cry until they both drowned for all he cared. He just wanted her safe in his arms.  
  
He just wanted her to stay there forever.  
  
They stayed like that for a long while, her crying against his chest, him wiping patiently at her tears, his fingers smoothing down her hair, always careful with his touch, never wanting to push her back into a place of terror. Those men had put their hands all over her, had hurt her, had scared her. He didn’t want to be the same.  
  
Slowly, her sobs turned to sniffles and then to shaking breaths and slowly, everything evened out. He wasn’t sure how long they’d been in that position but eventually, her tears had given way to exhaustion. He didn’t blame her—she had to be wiped with all she’d been through. She’d barely gotten any sleep when they were with Caterpillar and before that, who knew the last time she’d allowed herself rest?  
  
Lifting her in his arms, he scooted up the bed so that his back was propped up against the mountain of downy soft pillows atop the bed. Stretching out his long legs, he winced at the pain that lanced through them. She wasn’t the only one exhausted—his body was ready to shut itself down in order to properly begin to heal.  
  
Cradling the young champion in his lap, he reached out for a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. The blanket was soft and he hoped it provided her some sense of comfort as she slept, despite the fact that he wasn’t a very soft sleeping surface. Adjusting himself against he pillows, he brushed her hair back from her face and bent to press a kiss to her ebony locks, smiling at the soft scent there. There was something comforting in all of this. Yes, his body was exhausted and his chest was stained with her tears and he was covered in gashes and cuts and bruises and she was in much the same state, her body having been used without her consent…but there was something about this that pulled a smile to his lips.  
  
Locking his arms around her thin form, he allowed his own eyes to drift closed. It had been a long day, longer still by the bizarre time patterns in Wonderland. Exhausted, he allowed himself to fall into what he hoped to be a light and healing slumber, a smile still upon his pale lips.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness. Traffic is really picking up on this story! I'm so glad that so many of you seem to be enjoying this little bastard-hybrid of two fandoms that totally deserve more love! I wholeheartedly appreciate every comment and kudos that you guys find time to give this work! It really helps boost my confidence in bringing this piece to you guys!
> 
> Thank you so much! And don't forget to leave juicy comments and kudos!!


	16. Alice

This dream was not of fire. Alice should have been happy about that. The first dream in so long not to be a retelling of the night her world ended. There was no blood or Asylums. It was just a younger Alice, a ten year old girl tucked under the bed sheets with her elder sister, a flashlight lit between them as the the sixteen year old spoke.

_"Oh Alice it was horrid. The stinking tosser...Claimed I'd stolen his heart. Trifling with his affections! Creepy sod. Touching me...Told Papa to never invite him to tea again!" Her sister chuckled, though the mirth in her tone did not reach to her lost hazel eyes._

Her heart ached. Lizzie. Gods she was beautiful. A true Goddess, even in her youth. Her every curve a comfort as she slipped her arms around her, and hugged her tight, her fingers dancing along her ribs to make Alice giggle.

_"Like I would love some creepy old sod. Alice, when you get to liking boys make it a cute one, hmm?"_ Lizzie sighed dreamily, aiming a saucy wink at her through the dim light of the flashlight within their sheet. Alice grinned but she caught the look in Lizzie's hazel orbs this time. What her younger self had missed.

There was pain in those orbs.

A hollowness that Alice knew, for she saw it in her own reflection.

Alice awoke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest and she couldn't tell why. It hadn't been a traumatic memory. Not for her. Alice blinked and looked up to Dante, taking a moment to remember why he was there, and while his arms were around her so tight. At one point she hated being touched. She had enough reasons to hate it. But... Dante didn't hurt her. He'd never hurt her. Not like...Whoever hurt her sister...

Alice rested her head on Dante's chest again, dark emerald gaze contemplative.

A sigh emitted from above her, a jerk in his chest suggesting that it was indeed he would had sighed. A groan left him then. He moved his head then, she felt its movement, and met it with her own. A warm, inviting smile painted itself upon his lips, and her stomach tightened at the sight. her feet itched to run, but her body simply…remained, even allowing his hand to graze her cheek, brushing a thumb across her cheek, painting it a burning red. His gaze inspected hers, "Alice?"

Her had managed to turn her name was a million questions rolled into one title. And while he only said the one word, his eyes spoke the questions that had gone unasked. Was she okay? What had woken her? Was she fine in his lap, in his arms, near him?

And to answer them, she forced herself to become more aware, as she did every time she forced herself through a memory. Her body felt as though it was spinning, her head light…but it was easier. For once, the burning flames had not greeted her in the depths of her dream world. But instead... A fond memory, tainted by a undertone.

There had been horror in her sister’s eyes.

"I... I keep remembering things..." She whispered, her thin body pressed tight against him. Whatever kept her grounded, she would cling to. It seemed Dante could find her so easily, no matter how lost she was in her thoughts. He knew how to pull her from the darkness that had snared her mind for so many years. She unknowingly smiled at the knowledge.

The memory came to her near violently. The girl flinched and whimpered. A voice filled her head.

_"Flush the unpleasant from your mind, Alice. Reject the painful as you would the repulsive and depraved. Forgetting is an art."_ Angus's word filled her mind and blocked out what little she could remember, Alice whimpered again and forced out the last thought she had before she could lose it.

"Someone hurt her."

Dante’s hand moved from her cheek to her hair, his fingers running through the long dark locks. He frowned. "Her? Your mother? Your sister?"

Her body was trembling like a leaf. For once Alice made no move to comfort herself. Instead of running away and seeking out her explosive weapon disguised as her old doll, she sought comfort in Dante. Oh how a few days had made the tables turn. This was a man she had every right to fear, given what she had seen. But she couldn't deny that she didn't feel afraid of him. Not in her heart.

"Lizzie." She whispered, whimpering again as she fought to even say the name. A brief cry of pain escaped her. Why did it hurt so much to remember?

Angus's words were filling her head. _The past is painful. Forget it. Forgot unwanted or unneeded memories. Forget the past. The past is paid for._

"I can't remember..." She managed to say once she had recovered from her pain. She shifted and laid back against Dante, nearly exhausted from the minor effort, her head tucked under his chin."Why does it hurt so much to remember... They're my memories..."

Wrapping the blanket around her frail form more tightly, he stretched back against the pillows further, their position reclined. Were she in any better state, she would have marveled how this felt. It was truly no different than when Mirana cradled her in her embrace, and held her through her mad wails in the wake of the fire. Those long nights spent in that padded cell, the times she ran inside her mind and back to this place, back into her arms, where the scent of vanilla and lavender calmed her racing mind. Finding his chin resting among her dark locks, she found herself blanketed in a new smell. One of leather and some earthy, masculine musk…and some heady odor that reminded her of her father’s liquor cabinet.

He whispered dutifully to her. "Because someone stole them from you, Alice. You are fighting to get all of your memories back, whether you mean to or not. Something within you wants those memories and won't stop until they are yours once more. Like every battle, this comes with pain. I wish it didn't. I'll be here though. I'll help you with the pain."

Pressing his lips to her raven hair, Alice froze. He kept kissing her. And she didn't know what to think of it. Her body tensed automatically with each one. But he never touched her. Not like they had. He never grabbed at her or pinned her down or bit at her. He wasn’t cruel like Dee or Dum.

_You’ve a woman’s body now, Alice…_

Alice squeezed her eyes shut tightly. There was so much she didn't know, so many responses she didn't know how to give.

"Sweetheart...when you remember something and it sticks...does it hurt to think back on it? I mean, do you feel the same physical pain you felt when the memory first returned to you?"

Then he asked his question. Alice's eyes flickered open.

"I...I don't know...I try to keep the memory but it...it fades." She could have been dreaming of her memories this whole time. Illustrating a dark fantasy, making the puzzles fit, even where they didn’t belong. "The...The longer I think about it the more it hurts... And then when I let it go... It doesn't come back...They keep...Going..."

_Flush the unpleasant from your mind, Alice. Reject the painful as you would the repulsive and depraved. Forgetting is an art._

"Eliminate the memories that hurt. That's what Angus said... It's the only way I can ever heal..."

"He lied, Alice.” And the chill in his tone frightened her some, it must have been evident in her gaze, for when their gazes met once more, his tone softened. “Keeping those memories away is what prevents you from fully healing. I'm not saying to rush into anything or to force yourself to bring those memories forward. I just can't take you living off of his lies anymore."

“Not lies…”

Just untruths. But what did it really matter? Even it it didn’t help to forget the painful memories that were engulfed in fire, and filled with the cacophonous sounds of her sister’s helpless screams. It made no difference. Forgetting, remembering… It didn’t change what had happened. She had caused the fire. She had caused their death, she had lived.

Doctor Bumby was only trying to help. She couldn’t continue on like this.

"Alice..." Dante started once more, her gaze lifting up at once, obediently. She watched as his expression flickered, seemingly at war with himself, his brows furrowed and relaxed, his jaw clenching, teeth grinding. He forcibly swallowed, before he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't get into the castle before Hatter took you."

But her mind continued on. Angus, lie to her? No. He was helping her. She would be on the streets if it weren't for him. She wasn't in a proper Asylum anymore. The discharged her once she started talking again. He was the one to take her. He saved her. He protected her.

She tried to picture Angus as she thought this. But she only pictured Dante instead.

Her head was spinning. This hurt far too much. Building herself back up and only getting knocked down again. This is why she stopped, why she waited so long. Why she waited until Dante dropped into her world for her to do anything about the mess it was in.

Her stomach twisted. What would she do without him then? She sat up with some difficulty, shifting her body until she was unknowingly straddling his waist, cradling her throbbing head once again. "It... it wasn't your fault Dante. You...You saved Mirana..." Against the odds against her and the terrors fresh in her mind, she smiled. For a moment unburdened by at all. "Y...You made me proud."

His hands naturally moved to rest at her waist, his arms now loosely linked around her thin hips. She found she didn’t mind. She wouldn’t fall, she wouldn’t find pain like this… She trusted him not to. Raising a brow, he smirked, blue eyes locked onto her emerald depths. "Really? That made you proud? I was late, Alice. You were hurt on my account. I promised to protect you and I only succeeded in arriving before..." He couldn't finish that sentence but the thought hung heavy in the air.

_Before they could kill me._

Trying to shake it off, he gave her a smile in return, attempting to keep her lips curved the way they were now. "If anyone should be proud here, it is Queen Mirana and I. Those green eyes of yours have seen hell but they are still blazing. You surprise me at every turn Alice. I once told you that I didn't know where I stood with you and I think the fact still holds. Every time I think I've got you figured out, you throw me for another loop." His smile grew then and he laughed quietly, the sound entirely different than the laughter they had both been taunted by in the Asylum. "You are the definition of a mysterious woman, you know that, right?"

At least Alice had the decency to blush. Her cheeks tinted dark. What was there to be proud of. She had barely done anything. Queen Mirana had dealt with the Black Queen and the rebellion against them. And the Red Queen's spies during her years here. Dante... Dante was the one to save her, to even force her into action.

Still, she didn't fight his words. Smiling softly, she tried to find her spark again. "I guess I'll have to keep you guessing then..."However he could see her as such was beyond her. He saw her every weakness! Her mind was ripped open and bare before him, whether she wished it to be or not.

But where she should have resented him, she found herself glad. She wouldn't have wanted anyone else by her side.

She barely heard the knock, nor the turning of the knob. Alice only turned in time to see the skirts of Queen Mirana enter before she did. Dipping her head into the room, she nearly recoiled… But instead smiled. “Well. If I'm not interrupting anything, dinner will be served soon. Dante your jacket has been washed, but there's fresh clothes for you if you want." She gestured to the articles of clothing in her hand, gently laying them on the chair. Her tinkling laughter was poorly contained before her free fingers. and she made a quick turn about."If you two aren't present I shan't be cross..."

Alice blinked, then noticed her position atop Dante. The blush grew.

And as quick as she came, the Queen left, her laughter staining the halls. A foreign sound within them, one that had Alice’s own heart warming in her chest…meeting with the burn of her cheeks. Even Dante had a chuckle burst past his lips. His hands moved to either side of her face, cradling her delicate head in his large hands. Something slithered and coiled in the pit of her stomach. "Oh Alice. What is it about the women of Wonderland? The Queen makes me feel as if my mother has caught me doing something terribly wrong and you...well, you do far more to me than either of us will ever understand."

Returning his arms to their position around her waist, he smiled, his blue eyes easily the happiest they'd been since he'd arrived in Wonderland. "Now, Princess, would you like to go down to dinner? You are dressed for the occasion and you haven't eaten in a very long time. I'm sure you would like some time with the Queen..."

Her cheeks were burning so much she swore we were on fire. Not a comforting thought at all but still an easier thought than focusing on what the Queen had said. Interrupting what? What was she doing to Dante? There was a definite downside to having been locked away from people for so long. She hardly knew what to do around them, what was expected of her. To even talk to Dante she fell back to the only way she knew how. But things like this never happened with Chesh or Rabbit.

Neither of them made her heart race or her stomach flop like Dante did.

Alice nodded enthusiastically, grinning for the first time since their escape from the Asylum. Alice rolled off of Dante's waist, struggling not to blush any further and adjusting the hem of her dress quickly as she stood beside the bed. As pale as she naturally was, and clad in white, the blush was all too evident. She forced her gaze to the clothing.

"You're coming with me, right?" It was half a question, half a plea. Whenever they were apart it never fared well for her. Given the half healed marks on his body, it had not been a cake walk for him as well.

Grinning back at her, he nodded, pushing himself from the bed and grabbing the shirt off the top of the clothing pile. Pulling it over his head, he was pleased to see that it fit. Being well above six foot and of a much larger build than any man she had ever seen in reality, he certainly wouldn’t be an easy man to find clothing for. The shirt was simple cotton, white as everything else in the castle. It was the Pale Palace for a reason afterall...

Looking to her, Dante’s hand stilled at the zipper of his pants before he raised a brow.

And there she was, staring, like a bloody loon. He took notice with a crooked grin. "Okay, turn around for a second. These pants have seen better days and there is no way I'm wearing them down to dinner while you look so pretty." She heard him bite back a laugh as she promptly turned on her heel, allowing him the privacy to change. Alice rolled on the balls of her feet, trying not to whistle to distract herself from Dante's changing. He had seen her in much worse states, she was in no position to judge.

"Lead the way...I'm starving." When she spun back on her heel to greet him she intended on having a witty comment ready on her tongue.

Pity her jaw dropped when she saw him. Not quite on the floor, but her lips parted, whatever sassy comment she armed herself with had vanished much like some feline inhabitants of Wonderland. It was just some clothes. It shouldn't have mattered. But the burning blush on her cheeks begged to differ.

From his amazing fighting abilities, to his silver hair, and large stature that made her feel safe from all harm... Now donned in the clothes of the realm. Well. If ever there was a Prince of Wonderland. Dante would fit the role perfectly.

Emerald eyes sparkled, and Alice curtsied, without really meaning to. She was anything if not polite and formal, especially in situations where she did not know what else to do with her 'replacement' turned 'reinforcement' turned partner turned... Something else? She had never reacted this way with any of the other males in Wonderland. Recovering quickly, Alice quickly led the way from the room they were given, and retraced her steps back to the dining hall. An expansive table was full of food, several settings set. The Queen and King were present, as well as a few other subjects.

Alice wrinkled her nose. Knave was there too.

Dante’s breath was quick on her ear. "Easy there, Princess. You're in all white and he is beneath you. Ignore the idiot."

The King stood as they entered, his lips parted in a beaming smile. "My children, please, come join us. We are happy to see you back in the Kingdom." He motioned them to their seats where they were immediately served. His gaze settled on Alice as he sat, his hand landing affectionately on his wife's as he spoke. "I will never be able to repay you for saving my Queen. The castle simply doesn't function without her."

Queen Mirana was grinning from ear to ear in her seat. Apparently having taken lessons from Cheshire. Alice watched her in quiet awe. She had been kidnapped today, threatened, probably beaten and tortured as well. She was sentenced to death and now? The White Queen was all smiles and giggles hours later. It was as if nothing had happened. Nothing had changed. As if Wonderland wasn't in ruins. Was it ever any wonder Alice stayed here for so long?

"What can I say. A man can only rule so long without a Good Queen at his side." This should have been a playful jab at her own husband, but the gentle queen shot a pointed look to Alice, a quick wink that sent the girl's gaze to her own plate.

Alice felt herself smiling though. A shiver escaped her. It was hard for the madness to reach her here. As it always had been. Whether it was the Queen's magic, or just the company of two people that reminded her so dearly of her parents. The childish Pawn was making a mess of its food and having a grand time doing it. Chesh was even present. Emerald eyes were sparkling brightly. It was almost like old times, her gaze travelled to Dante. Well, with the loss of some friends, and a confusing new addition.

Then Knave spoke.

"So will you be with us here another year or two Alice." Knave muttered, though purposely loud enough to be heard by all inhabitants of the table. Alice made a stab at her food. "Though there's two of you now. Have you both lost it now? Will that make it four years before we have to send for someone to throw that one back into action---" No doubt a command for his silence was on the Queen's lips. But a flying Vorpal blade that embedded into itself his seat, no doubt too close for comfort to his groin.

Alice swallowed her mouthful of food and delicately dabbed at her mouth. "Another word and I won't miss next time."

Eyes around the table widened momentarily as the blade flew. When it stuck in the material of the chair, the dining creatures turned back to their food, their entertainment over.

But Dante didn’t miss a beat. "Well done, sweetheart," before taking a sip.

The King gave the Knight a sad shake of his head, looking as though the man were a dog that had chosen to dig in the garden. It had Alice’s expression softening then. This was all backwards, truly. "Really though, you're going to have to learn to hold your tongue, Knave. You are speaking to a Princess and a Hero. Is that the title we are going with sweetheart? I know we fretted back and forth between Princess and Savior for days," he added, consulting his wife. The King was a good natured man, just as full of smiles and laughter as his wife. Looking to the feline sitting a couple of chairs down, he asked, "What do you think of our beautiful Alice, Cheshire? I do say, I think she's had a remarkable day. If I beamed any more with pride, my face would simple split in two. How do you do it, Cheshire?"

Alice only focused on the way the light vanished from Knave’s good eye. He had lost his brother today they were down one good Knight… Could they not have an ounce of compassion for him?... She deserved his barbs, To him, that was being kind.

She knew what he did to those who truly offended him,

Then her eyes settled on the empty seat near the end of the table. The seat reserved for Rabbit.

"I've...I've done nothing." The death of two innocents were on her head. "They're gone because of my foolishness." She swallowed another mouthful thickly, troubled thoughts threatening to take her once more.

She heard Mirana sigh at the end of the table."You've done six impossible things in the short time between your 'morning walk' that stretched into this." The pale queen smiled affectionately. "You've found a darling new companion, the Duchess is no more, You managed to shrink and grow yourselves without facing Rabbit's fate. You listened to that dreaded Caterpillar without tearing your pretty hair out." Her laughter was gentle then. "You've made incredible headway on what is a terrifying journey, and you lead a rescue effort to save my silly head."

Alice chewed on her bottom lip. "I...I guess I did those things but--."

"And what of you, Dante-Dear. What do you think of our precious Alice?" For such a pure Queen, there was a mischievousness in her that was unrivaled, even by Alice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLYCRAP HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE I ALREADY POSTED THIS. Serves me Right! I'm sorry to everyone who thought they were getting an update just to be hit with deja vu! I got my documents mixed up and.. UGh. Here you go. For reals chapter.
> 
> But you know what would help? Comments. Everytime I get a email saying I have kudos it pushes me to get this content out faster. And Comments? Goodness, they are like gold to me! I really want to know what you guys think of this little bastard of love that was born out of a bizarre GaiaOnline Roleplay. SO, here's hoping that every one of you that read this strange little tale, will spend a second or two just telling me your thoughts. And for those who have, you guys seriously give me the wings to...write this.
> 
> That Analogy got away from me. Oh well, until we meet again!


	17. Dante

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP AM I FULL OF FUCK UPS. The Queen of them!
> 
> I have these chapters stockpiled, I'm editing them and tweaking them before I go and post them here, but I've run into an issue where the chapters I've been meaning to import are the wrong ones!! First I did a double post and now... Well This!
> 
> So... You guys just had a crazy jump cut that I didn't catch so HERE IS THE REAL CHAPTER. JUST ERASE YOUR MINDS. And forgive me. Good Golly.  
> _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Shit.

He’d thought things were going great, that he'd be able to sail through this dinner with ease, smiling when he should and enjoying the food before him. Looking into the Queen's eyes, he saw nothing but pure joy over her clever question, the sadistic woman. She was doing this to him at every turn--pulling at the confusing mass of feelings he had towards the girl seated next to him…and she was enjoying it.

Looking around the table, he swallowed hard as he realized that all eyes were on him.

Double shit.

Turning his gaze back to the Queen, he smiled. For once, his smile was even, a clear sign of nerves. He wanted to be honest—but he needed to save face as well. It would probably be best if he just went with something simple. "I think that she is the perfect Princess for Wonderland and just the girl to save all of its inhabitants."

The King smiled, nodding his agreement over the answer. "Well, of course she is dear boy, that's why she is here. But what else?" The man was just as proud of Alice as his wife, and just as demented. They weren’t going to let him out of this so easily. The King and Queen shared a look before turning their eyes back to him, pinning him to the spot.

He felt cornered, unsure of what he could say that wouldn’t cause too big of a stir and wouldn’t leave his stomach in a tangled knot. Looking to Alice, he felt his smile melt into something more genuine, the corners of his lips going crooked, his breath leaving him on a sigh. It was so easy with her. So much so in fact that he didn’t realize he was speaking until he was halfway through his sentence.

"I understand what you see in her, Highnesses. Alice is a remarkable young woman. She burns brighter than anyone in our original shared world and has a magnetic attractiveness that brings her friends close and, unfortunately, her enemies closer. I am here to protect her but, as demonstrated with dear Knave," he drawled, shooting a look at the Knight's still shaking hands, "She is incredibly capable of doing that herself. Alice is special and I am honored to be a part of her journey."

He wasn’t entirely sure how he expected Alice to react. Would she smile and gain that pretty dusting of pink along her cheeks? Would she think up some quick retort to put him in his place? Would she smack him for speaking out of place?

He was sure what she’d think but he knew that he’d taken a step in the wrong direction at some point when her cutlery fell to her plate, clattering against the china. Her fingers were trembling, her eyes wide and unseeing. Queen Mirana began to push back from the table to make a move to Alice’s side but the young girl was faster. She nearly leapt from the table, gracing them all with a quick curtsy. “I-I need a moment alone. If you would please,” she murmured, leaving no room for commentary or replies as she fled the room.

Queen Mirana sighed. "Dote on her as you wish. Her self loathing runs deeper than any of us can reach..."

"We'll see about that." Dropping his napkin on his plate, Dante stood and nodded to the King and Queen. "Thank you...for everything. I’m just going to go…yeah.” Giving an awkward bow (and feeling like a total idiot for it), he excused himself from the table.

As he followed after Alice, he missed the King turning to his wife and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "My dear, you are so much wiser than any of us will ever grasp. Another brilliant choice on your part. They make a good pair, don't you agree?"

Out in the hall, Dante caught a glimpse of Alice's dress and he gave chase. He didn’t want to break into a run—literally chasing her might scare her away when she was this upset. Besides that, he wasn’t entirely sure his legs were ready for a run—they still weren’t in the best of shape. He was sort of hoping for that meal. Food always helped his body heal. However, healing took a backseat to the Princess he had sworn to protect and right now, she was hurting on behalf of his words.

"Alice...Alice, please, don't go where I can't get to you, sweetheart. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I said something to upset you...I didn't mean to. The Queen....I just didn't know what she wanted and I started saying things and obviously one of them was the wrong thing." He kept calling out to her as he followed her, not letting that pristine white dress out of his sight. When he finally caught up with her, it was because she had collapsed to the ground, the skirt of her white dress pooling around her legs, tears cutting a trail down her cheeks. She looked utterly miserable sitting there all by her lonesome, dejected and… small. So utterly small.

"I-Its not you...never you." She whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re….sorry?” He asked, dropping to his knee beside her. The action had him biting back a wince—marble floors were unkind to damaged limbs and his knee was quite angry with him right now. Raising a brow, he had to wonder what on Earth she could be sorry for. For crying again? For leaving the table? For…for what?

Reaching out, he wiped the tears from her cheeks as he smiled. "Actually, you're right Alice. You should be sorry. For a couple of reasons. Let me lay them out for you while we go back to your room, okay?" Sliding his arms underneath her, he lifted her effortlessly, cradling her against his chest once more. He knew she didn’t care to be carried but he wasn’t about to let her sit on the floor and cry in the middle of the hallway. Clearly she was upset and he was going to give her the privacy she needed to expel whatever it was she was feeling. He remembered the way back to the room they had been inhabiting and headed there as he explained.

"The first reason you should be sorry is because you took me away from that mountain of food. Had you stayed to finish dinner, I would have grown quite fat. I've never been fat and you stole that experience from me."

He had reached the room by this point and worked to open the door as he continued, trying and failing miserably at looking serious as he 'chastised' her. "The second reason: I was saying some pretty nice stuff about you and you left. Now, I don't know if you remember this, but I make a living by killing things. I'm not generally a nice person and I never give out compliments like I just was for you. Someday, you're going to wish I was complimenting you in public like that again. Seriously, I could be a King of Compliments, if given half a chance. You stole that opportunity from yourself—poor thing."

Getting the door opened, he walked into the room and sat on the bed, holding her in his lap, her tears wetting his shirt. "Finally, you should apologize to the Queen. You're crying on the shirt she gave me. It's okay though.. .it's just a shirt. And I forgive you for everything so there is nothing to be upset for, sweetheart."

Her little hands braced against his chest and she pushed away from him. Her pink lips were turned down in a frown, her eyes dark when she finally spoke up. “Y-You don’t have to be here anymore.” Clearly, his jokes were lost on her. The Queen had said that getting through to her was not easy, sometimes not even possible. Clearly, this was one of those times. “K-Knave is right. There shouldn’t be two of us. This is my realm. I need to defend it…myself.”

Her voice wobbled as she spoke, the words seemingly difficult to get past her lips. “T-The Queen and Cheshire brought you here. I’ll ask them to send you back. You…You don’t want to be paid anyways.” Pain and fear etched themselves into her porcelain features as she backed away from him. She put a good foot of distance between them, wrapping her arms tight around her small frame. “I’m sorry I dragged you into my mess.”

The Hunter stared at her from the bed, his lips parted slightly in shock. His arms dropped to his sides and he blinked, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "Alice. Why are you saying this? I know I don't have to be here. I'm here because I want to be. I want to see you save Wonderland."

He felt anger building up in his chest but he knew it was his mind's way of trying to protect himself. He didn't want to admit that his pride was hurt. She was trying to send him away, to get rid of him. She hadn't said though that she wanted him gone...simply that he could leave. Still, it wasn’t easy to hear. Had he really offended her that much at dinner? Had he really done something to upset her? If so… he’d rather just know about it. She didn’t have to kick him out of the realm entirely.

"I'd be very upset if you asked Queen Mirana and Cheshire to send me back, Alice. I would fight to return to Wonderland. I'd do whatever it would take to come back. And why are you even listening to that idiot Knave? He knows nothing about you, about this situation, about....us."

And there was a terrifying thought. That there was even an ‘us’ to consider. What was he saying? What was he even trying to get at with that sort of bullshit? He meant ‘us’ as in the two of them as a team, as partners…right?

What could he do to change her mind? He needed to know what had made her want to send him home. She looked upset to be saying the words out loud so he knew that something had set her off. Thinking over every possibility, he focused on her final sentence. "You didn't drag me into Wonderland,” He murmured, his eyes slightly narrowed as he tried to figure out the truth behind her words. “My being here is not your fault, nor is it your responsibility. I am now here by choice, of my own accord. I don't want to leave, Alice."

As he spoke, her hands moved from her arms to her hair, tangling in the dark silken locks. Her feet took a small step closer to him while her words tried to push him away. Tears fell from her large emerald eyes, her lips opening and closing multiple times as if she were trying to find the words to say. “But Dante…” She closed the space between them, her small hand reaching out to gently touch his cheek. It was one of the rare times in which she initiated the contact between them, the first time in which it was her skin against his. Her smooth fingers traced along his jawline, reminding him of the stubble growing there from his lack of shaving. Slowly, her hand made its way up into his hair, tangling in the silver locks. “What will I do if they take you from me?”

His head leaned into the warmth of her hand, his gaze lifted to meet her teary emeralds, his voice just a whisper. “You’ll come find me. Just like I’ll come find you. Alice…I think that you and I both know that separation…it’s not an option for us any longer. For either of us.”

Reaching out, he pulled her to him, his arm wrapping around her thin waist and bringing her close. He buried his face in the white fabric covering her stomach, breathing in her clean scent. She wasn't going to send him away. They couldn't leave each other--not now. Not after everything they'd been through. Cheshire and the Queen would never agree to it, no matter how much she would have begged. They both knew that he was tied to this girl with more than he would have ever bargained. He'd started this as a job, excited at the prospect of being rich for the first time in his life. He realized now that he was a different man than he'd started. He was now a man with a weakness. He only hoped she was strong enough to let him stay with her. If she wasn’t, if she pushed him away, he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to chase her through whatever realm she traveled to. He wouldn't lose her again. This has been enough.

Her free hand soon moved to join her other, her fingers playing slightly in his hair as she held her dear Hunter closer to her body. Her frame shivered against him as they held one another and he could hear her swallow, the room was so quiet around them. He could hear her heart as well, pounding in her chest, fluttering like a hummingbird’s wings. He felt the movement as she bent, her lips pressing in a warm kiss against the crown of his head. When he looked up again, her cheeks were dusted pink as she whispered, “You can’t die on me then. You realize that, right?”

Meeting her gaze, his own was determined as he answered, “I have absolutely no plan of dying, Alice. I assure you, the last thing I want to do is leave your side again.” His hand moved, resting against the small of her back (and how small it was!) while his free hand reaching up to cup her face. She had been through so much in a single day and, though she had slept for a little while, he knew she was exhausted. A soft smile parted his lips as he mentioned, "You don't have to stand anymore, you know. Come here. Lay down, love. You're tired."

He wasn't about to pull her in his lap again without her permission. She'd put herself there the first time. The time he'd put her there, she'd leapt away from him and began planning his departure from Wonderland. He had learned his lesson and wouldn’t push the boundaries again. Still, he desperately wanted her closer. He wanted to make her feel safe and to get her smiling once more.

She responded with a heavy sigh that ended in a pitiful little laugh as her forehead dropped to rest against his. Her dark hair formed a curtain around them, masking them from the rest of the world and providing them with some much needed solitude. “You put me to shame, Dante. I’ve lost my reason as well was my mind and you have so easily swooped in and set yourself to fixing both.”

Finally, she smiled again, her light breath tickling his lips. "I'd say you aren't getting paid enough for this glorified babysitting, but you've refused payment entirely."

Any other woman and she would have been his, hook, line and sinker. Then again, any other woman and she would have been naked beneath him within their first twelve hours together. Any other woman and she would have been gone right after with the chance that he didn't even remember her name. It would have taken him minutes to charm her, minutes to undress her, and then he’d give her pleasure like she’d never known. She’d be painting the walls with his name and he…would forget her come morning.

Alice was unlike any other woman he’d ever known.

Her mouth was inches from his, her breath sweet on his face. He wanted so badly to tilt his head up, to touch his lips to hers and to show her that the things she'd experienced could have been good, had they been with someone who cared. Because of those experiences however, he held himself back, instead supporting her weight and letting her lean into him. He would take on anything for her. Her weight, her pain, her memories...anything.

Smirking slightly, Dante looked up into those green eyes that haunted his thoughts and his dreams and murmured, "I said I didn't want your money Alice. That doesn't mean I've refused payment. Trust me, I've been given plenty in return for my time in Wonderland. Not all payment comes in the form of monetary riches."

"I know..."

Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling him closer and holding him tighter. Burying her face against his neck, she murmured, “Thank you Dante…”

He helped her move the rest of the way to the bed. Lifting her in his arms, he moved so that he was laying back against the pillows once more, Alice cradled against his chest, her legs on top of his. His fingers were in her hair, smoothing it away from her face and down her back as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Alice, you have nothing to thank me for. I'm supposed to thank you, remember? For letting me stay with you. So...thank you, sweetheart."

The thought crossed his mind that this was exactly what the Queen had intended. He was finding more and more often that the Queen was already a good three steps ahead of him, having already planned out how she wanted his life to play out. Had she asked him that question, knowing that his answer would be too honest for Alice? Had she known he'd chase after the Princess? Had she meant for them to work through the absurd notion of him ever leaving her?

"I'm sorry I ran..." She whispered, as if plucking the idea from his mind. Her fingers toyed with the front of his shirt, a blush staining her cheeks. “I…I’m undeserving of your kindness. Everyone’s kindness. Knave is the only one who treats me how I deserve. Two years I've wasted. And now everyone is suffering..." But instead of settling back into her self loathing, a spark was ignited. Emerald eyes burned bright as they met Dante's soft blue ones.

"But we'll fix that. These dark days are numbered now."

"That they are, love," he agreed, laying a kiss against her brow. She was getting stronger, he knew she was. She was able to pull herself out of the darkness more and more, to listen to other ideas and to be open to different options. When they'd first met, she'd shut down everything he said, ending arguments with words about how she was deserving of the worst. She still believed Knave was the only one to treat her correctly but she didn't completely discount all of their love for her.

Was that what this was? Was he feeling the love that the King and Queen so obviously had for the girl in his arms? Was he simply like the rest of Wonderland, enamored with the mysterious and pained young girl? Or was he falling for the battered woman in his arms, so full of pain and yet, so strong to survive it all? She’d warned him not to get attached…but he had clearly disobeyed.

He was in love with Princess Alice of Wonderland.


	18. Alice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm. So. I feel like, maybe, just maybe. We're the reason that in the past few months both the Alice and Devil May Cry Fandoms have been revving up again. I mean, it could have somethign to do with both creators clearly wanting to continue said game series... But don't you all think if they met, maybe we'd get something beautiful?
> 
> Just a thought! Anyway here's to not fucking up this chapter, please leave lovely kudoes and comments to let me know if you're as crazy as I am!  
> \------

"You know, you aren't making a very good case for that pathetic Knave in the dining hall. I swear Alice, I would like _nothing_ more than to shut him up. Permanently. The things he says to you make me feel like I'm on fire…” he must have caught the cringe on her face. “Sorry for the choice of words but, it's accurate."

Some scars would not so easily overlooked. But she managed to catch herself before her mind could unhinge from the simple notion. Though she did gain a new fear of Dante being around flames. It seemed everyone she cared for died unnaturally...

Was that it then? Did she care for him?

She was in his lap, being comforted by him, not flinching or screaming or even becoming numb as her stroked her hair and kissed her. She felt the same way with the Queen. But this was...More intense. Her heart didn't seem to remember how to beat, her breath unsure.

Instead of focusing on strange feelings, she focused on his words. Knave's behavior was easily explained. "His brother was killed when they took the Queen. It is my fault that they hid me so long, Queen Mirana didn't want me to rush into battle ill prepared... But I made them vulnerable. And now his brother perished because of it. I carry the death of my own sister along with all my other burdens... If his anger towards him frees him from that pain...I'll take everything he throws at me." Didn’t it make sense? Wouldn’t anyone else act the same way?

"You're supposed to be a savior Alice.” Dante countered. “Not a Martyr. I understand the bond between brothers”--And it was here that his expression darkened. a cross between disgust and distress. if Alice were to liken it to anything , it would be the face one made when they remembered a foul taste, or the way she no doubt looked when a match was struck--”Trust me, _I do_. But, what Knave needs to realize is that his brother died doing a job that he signed up for. He died with honor. Knave's anger over his brother's death will not allow him to rest in peace."

Shifting his weight, he leaned back against the pillows further, reclining more deeply into their soft depths and pulling her with him.

Alice didn't let his words get to her. Dante or Knave's. In her mind it all made sense. But given the broken state of her mind, what consolation was that? Her fingers absentmindedly traced along Dante's arm, her head rested against his collarbone. His heartbeat was steady in his chest, his pulse music to her ears.

She smiled. If Wonderland wasn't in the terrible state it was now, she wouldn't have minded spending another year or two like this. Even when she was here alone, she never felt like this. Her body was exhausted, emotionally drained and physically weak. But her heart was racing. She wanted to talk to him, she wanted to learn more about him, she wanted to make sure he was happy, even though he was in this strange place with her.

But the words never came. Lips remained sealed as her fingers traced their invisible trails along his arm, enjoying the warm tingling feeling the contact gave her.

With her mind in a strange sense of peace. It was no wonder that she found herself asleep once more.

Dreams were never pleasant for Alice. Since the fire only screams and tortured, bizarre memories filled her dreams. Often exhausting her even though she was asleep. It was the only way her body knew to hope, her mind racing to make sense of all the information, frantic to repair itself in the rare times Alice fell into a state of slumber.

But this time. There were no sullen memories, no cryptic words.

They were all alive and safe, playing in a garden of white roses. The Queen and King were chuckling about something the pawn had done. The Hatter had recovered from his dark spell, elbowing Rabbit as he fussed over his tea. The sky was bright, the world was full of color once again. Even Alice was back to her normal self. Her slender frame no longer frail, eyes and mind unburdened. Sitting at the base of tree, she was simply watching the events, giggling along their their antics.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and held her tight, a gentle kiss placed on her neck. Her heart soared, and she relaxed against her white-clad Prince. _"Having fun then, sweetheart?"_

Emerald eyes fluttered open, meeting the fluffy white material of her bed in the white castle. The same arms from her dream were wrapped tight around her. Her face burned red hot. There was no hint to her broken memories woven without the dream, but still...She felt as though something had been unlocked.

But the feeling was short lived, when the feeling of restriction tightened about her waist. Dread filled her form. Alice was no stranger to playing possum. More often than not she would feign sleep, especially when her parents were alive, and she would spend her nights in Lizzie's room. They would giggle and talk but once there were footsteps in the hall they would go still and silent as the grave. Alice fought to keep her mind closed, feeling Dante shift against her, pulling away briefly.

One eye peaked open, enough to see the shirt fall to the floor beside them. Then that heat was on her again. On her cheeks, and pressed against her back as he grabbed her and pulled her close once again. Her heart hammered in her chest, her mouth suddenly dry. She had never been in a situation like this before, not with anyone other than her sister. Alice knew her racing heart and thoughts was nothing she ever experienced sharing a bed with her sister.

But... What about the other times?

It was a flicker of a memory. She was pinned, her wrists bound to the bed by leather straps. For her own good. She was a risk to herself. Rutledge was crystal clear in her mind's eye. A shirt fluttered by her in the same fashion, but it was not Dante who pressed against her weary form. A spectacle wearing doctor, lust clouding his brown eyes. _"The past must be paid for, Alice."_

Alice wasn't sure how loud she screamed, or how fast she moved. She only found herself colliding into the dresser a good six feet away from the side of the bed, pain shooting through her head.

_“Come now Alice, you’ve a woman’s body now…”_

She didn’t want one. She didn’t want his eyes on her. She wanted his clothes back on his body.

_“Creepy toadie! Alice his hands….His hands!”_

She could feel them, gripping at her, pinning her into the mattress, his stale scotch laced breath washing on her face.

_“Alice! Save me!”_

Oh Lizzie… She wanted to. She should have known...

_“Alice… What have you done?”_

"Alice...Alice.” She didn’t feel his approach, her gaze burning on a patch of the white plush carpet beneath her. Seeing but unseeing it truly, her mind with the voices that shrieked and hissed within her mind. Desperately trying to cling to them, to ensnare it with her fingers and pull the foggy memory into view. “You're in the White Queen's Palace. You're here, with me. It's okay, sweetheart...It's another of those memories fighting it's way back to you."

She saw him. Just barely. He stood by her now, bent so that his face was level with hers. "I...I don't want this one." To be honest, what memories did she really want to keep of her painful past? The Orderlies at the Asylum had tormented her. She remembered it too clearly now, just as much as she remembered the Tweedles and their needles and unwanted touches.

But Angus? No. She was safe in Rutledge. Dr. Angus saved her. He wouldn't hurt her.

Her memories were wrong. "It's wrong... It didn't happen." She barely seemed conscious of Dante, her gaze glancing down to her wrists. The marks were there. Red rings around her wrists. She had been bound to that bed many times. But it was all for her good. She was harming herself. She would have harmed others.

The pain shot through her head like a white hot fire poker. It was only then she noticed where she was. Not Rutledge. It wasn't Angus who was upon her. Alice's fearful gaze was screaming for comfort, for clarification he could not give her. But she seemed grounded by his presence anyway. A shaky breath escaped her. "It hurts Dante...I don't want to do this anymore..."

"Oh sweetheart..."

Reaching forward, he wrapped his arms around her, stepping to her so that she didn't have to move, didn't have to think. And Alice took it. Her cheek was against his chest, his heart struggling to relax its thundering beating. And for longer than Alice could comprehend, they stood like that. His heart tethering her to this reality, keeping her in the present, and out of her memories, and his chest held her tears, her mournful cries that left her lips without reason. His heartbeat was mimicking her own. Was he as scared as she was? She tried to think if the roles were reversed, if Dante was the one fighting memories and suffering. Her heart damn near stopped. She would be suffering alongside him, desperate to do anything to soothe him. Her clouded eyes, hazy in their fear, searched his face. His smile was a comfort. He was okay. She would be okay too then.

When nothing but violent trembling remained. A soft smile graced his lips as he whispered, "You were doing pretty well there, you know? You slept for a long while without moving a finger. I would have woken up had you made noise or tossed and turned. Did the memories take longer to return?"

No matter what pain her memories put her through. She was safe here. "I...Didn't dream anything bad. It was happy." Confusing was more like it. She had been in his arms then too, he had been kissing her too, differently than the way he did in the past. She hadn't minded either. A small part of her wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him. But it was quickly slammed out by the thought of another pair of lips on hers. Alice wretched slightly.

"I only harmed myself the one time...Before the shots. But he kept tying me down. Said I was a threat to myself and others. The past must be paid for..." The memory was already slipping, and Alice was unsure if she ever wanted to see it again. her fingers reluctant to reach out for it.

Dante turned then, their bodies still connected as he pivoted to grab a nearby chair tucked into her unused vanity, he pulled it over for her, his skin never losing contact with hers. Gently, he pushed against her so that she would sit down and he kneeled at her feet, the very image of a Princess and her hunter. Her eyes were coming back to him, losing the wild terror she had upon waking.

He smiled, his hands holding hers in her lap. "A happy dream, eh? Well, it just so happens that I had one as well. If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine," He teased, his grin affectionate. There was something...lingering in that tone, but Alice focused elsewhere.

He had a happy dream too? That made her smile, the frightful memory slipping away into the darker corners of her mind. His grin was infectious. Alice could hardly believe she had been screaming only seconds ago. He was getting to her faster, able to pull her from the darkness before it could capture her again. Was he getting better at it? Or was she just letting him in?

She didn't have to tell him he was a part of it, That he held her the same way that she fell asleep with him...That he kissed her and it had created...Stirrings...

"Wonderland was back to normal..." She simplified it. A gentle smile on her lips. A happy thought. invoking happier memories. When Wonderland used to be her escape, rather than her hell.

"It used to be so colorful here." A sudden chuckle escaped her, and she squeezed his hands gently. "I used to shrink and play hide and seek with Hatter and March. They never checked the teapot." She blushed darker then. What a strange thing for her to say. But he laughed, his grin lopsided as he listened to her. Her eyes danced as she talked about her friends and their fun. Even if Dante thought Wonderland was strange now, it was nothing compared to how it was when the inhabitants were happy. "I wish you could have seen it back in the good days..."

"I wish I could have seen it too Alice. In my dream though, I saw something that made me even happier."

Settling back on his heels, his smile softened as he relayed his own dream to her, his blue eyes shining with… Pride? "Wonderland was returned to normal--Well, as normal as it is likely to get---we had saved it, just as we had in your dream. The King and the Queen were smiling more than they do now, if that was even possible. They were hugging you and you looked brilliant. You shone like a star, Alice. You had a crown on your head and a beautiful dress but none of it compared to you."

He stopped then, swallowing thickly, as if he had misspoke. "Guess you should have looked good though. You were finally Wonderland’s Princess again."

She must have been blushing like a maniac, as suiting as it was, as he told her about his dream. Both of them dreamed of Wonderland being restored. Was it not a fool's errand then? Alice had been positive that she would have easily been killed along this road. She was in no shape to be anyone's savior, much less a Princess.

Everyone else seemed to think differently. But Alice was quick to realize it was only Dante's opinion of her which mattered the most.

Alice smiled bashfully, glancing down at the dress she wore now. It was a little loose on her since the Queen was taller than herself. The lace was delicate and made her seem like the girl actually had some color to her. A dress more beautiful than this? She giggled. That sounds more like a dream appropriate for her. Dreams of parties and pretty dresses and...him. 

"If we save Wonderland. We can make our dreams a reality..." Her heart lodged itself in her throat, her stomach have gone the other direction entirely. Every part of her dream? No, she could not be that selfish. Dante belonged a world away from her, he could never be her Prince. She would have to settle for him just being her Hunter, her protector in this grave time.

He laughed then, as a thought struck him. And for a moment, Alice thought it was at her, but his head shook then, as if reading her thought before it fully formed. "I was just trying to picture you in my shop. You know, back in reality. I would definitely have to clean for the arrival of a Princess."

"I wouldn't mind seeing it." She smiled affectionately, somehow she had moved closer to him. Her gaze trailing along his eyes, down to his lips. She had never kissed a man before. She was much too young to be interested in those things when she had a normal life to live. Her only experiences with dating was with the boys Lizzie would sneak around with. The boys she often saw tumble out of her bedroom window and flatten the rose bushes.

"He said I toyed with his affections. Oh Alice. Never look to the older ones. They expect too much. This one claimed I was his doll." Her sister's words echoed in her head. Another unplaced memory.

Dante shook his head again--could he hear her thoughts now?-- his grin grew. "We can make our dreams come true though, Alice. We will."

She was so close, if she shifted off the chair she would be in his lap again, her lips could be on his and then---

\--There was a knock before she could get that far.

There was no entrance, but a delighted humming outside the room. Alice blushed. Queen Mirana had learned from her earlier mistake. "Enter...?" She offered. They may call her a Princess, but she hardly felt so regal. Not when beautiful women like Mirana seemed to float about with grace and confidence Alice knew she was incapable of.

"Oh you've recovered. Both of you!" Queen Mirana grinned, mischief was twinkling in her eyes as she clasped her hands. She seemed lost within herself for a moment, as if she simply wanted to leave them be. She sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly. Alice sighed as well, strengthening herself, with the gaze of both of them upon her. As much as she wanted to linger in this… Uncertainty, where butterflies danced in her stomach, and Dante smiled at her, and her lips tingled, and--Gods-- She was ever so curious to find out what they would feel like against those crooked lips. But there was business to discuss. "Alice, you know I will not rush you. But there has been a development. Turns out the Hatter has acquired the rest of our allies." Alice tensed. The Asylum again, the factory, all the labs that it housed.

Who lay in the other cells, while Dee and Dum tormented her… Who else did Hatter have… And why?

Alice nodded and turned to her companion. "Ready for round two"

His focus had been far from battle. She saw his gaze flicker far away, and for a moment, she wished there was a tea that could allow her to peer into his mind, or to bring those words to this place. He looked so...intense. As if on the verge of some grand revelation. But he brushed it away before she could think to just ask him herself. Before the words had the mind to jump upon her tongue, he was moving to stand over once more, she was quick to follow suit. His brow furrowed, and she only met with a set gaze in hers. Even if he begged her to stay, she would follow him. There would be no separating them. "I'm game if you are."

Alice shifted her feet along the plush carpet of her room, her limbs reluctant to continue on with any of this. She wished she could say no. Not that she could return to her madness, curled up in her bed, risking the lives of all those around her. But that she could ask for another day and go back to...Whatever was happening between her and Dante. The smiles, the words that made her head spin and her stomach flutter. But she wasn't on holiday here. There were others suffering while she sat in luxury and stared at her dear Hunter.

Sighing she strengthened her resolve. It was battle mode, for now.

"I don't doubt you will make quick work of this, my brave champions." Queen Mirana gestured to Alice to come, and the white clad princess obeyed. She placed a gentle kiss on the troubled girl's head. "Time to don your battle dress then my dear? Knave has your knife. The dear even cleaned it for you." Another sly smirk.

This time, Alice chuckled. "Dante, I'll have your jacket brought up immediately. We’ve managed to reopen a connection to the...that place.” Mirana named with a wrinkle of her nose. “It is in the courtyard when you are ready." Alice sighed, staring at her shoes.

"I shall meet you there Dante..."

Despite the reluctance that hung heavy in the air, Dante nodded, he even had the strength to smile, reaching out to brush his fingers down her arm. "I'll be there, sweetheart."

Alice’s bare feet padded along the halls of the Pale Palace, traveling to the armory where she knew Knave was waiting for her. If he had any sense left about him. He would have long since drawn the same connection she had made.

It would take so much more than a mere changing blade to win this war.

Pushing back the double doors of the barren armory, Alice frowned at the state. In the castles of their enemies, the walls would no doubt be lined with blades and spears and battle axes and those funny little spiked balls on chains that were both ridiculous and intimidating. There was some fancy, dancy name to them. But she could scarce remember the lessons her sister attempted to teach her in their back garden. What patience did she have for weapon names? Vorpal was everything and anything to her, as long as she proved herself worthy of the right.

“Well… I half expected you to be crying to be left alone. Or is he not allowing you to wallow in your ‘encumbersome grief’ as well?”

Another barb. Knave was particularly skilled with them. But why would he be kind to her? Lance was dead, another body staining the once pristine floors of the Palace, and of all people… of all the people to perish. It was him, his dear brother. Pain burned through her chest. It wasn’t too long ago that they had been reunited. Fourteen years now? Over half their lives were spent apart, One boy raised under Mirana… The other under the Red Queen. Many used it to explain Knave’s surliness. A man of his upbringing was expected to be nothing less.

Perhaps such was the problem. What man could be civil, after being made to swallow the grief he no doubt felt?

He stood rigid, a small table dividing them, Vorpal sat upon its mount faithfully, flickering out of sight when she made her approach. Without much thought, she could feel its weight add to her hand. Vorpal was a terribly handy weapon in many senses. The blade was ever eager to prepare her for a battle, from the dress to the weapon… Even words of wisdom, on the odd occasion.

She needed none of them now. “You kept having a go at me for my sloth behavior before…” Alice sighed. "You know the Queen and King will not let me have it. I need the Bandersnatch." Knave flinched, as if the word invoked a painful memory. His gaze was frightful and defiant both at once."I will not let any more death come of this. We're reaching the end game, Knave. You know where it is stored in the archives. You wish for action? I shall give it to you."

"You too easily embrace death." The blade was quick on his neck. Knave rolled his eyes. "I know you won't do it, but the sentiment is noted. But I will take no blame for your death if you use it."

Fine with her. What difference was it? If she were made to look upon that pain and loathsome face once more, and remember the affection he once had for her. She would sooner fall upon vorpal herself. Knave still looked skeptical. "I leave in a few moments. Let us be quick about it."

Knave drummed his fingers against the door. "Hurry up before someone catches us." The door opened seconds later, an all too pleased Alice slipping out of the room. Her dark blue dress had been cleaned and fixed, her apron white as ever. Striped stockings that looked painted on her legs, and her vorpal blade eager in hand. "Well... You look every bit ready for battle. About fucking time."

But he paused Alice, before they made to move further down corridors, the ones that would descend below the Palace, and lead to the Archives, where all manners of memorabilia and various dusty and surely forbidden items were kept. For a harrowing moment, that affection found itself back in Knave’s single hazel eye, the look pleading, just as with was a warning. "The wielder only gets one shot with that Alice, and it's not because there's only one bullet."

Alice sighed. Did he keep having to bring that up? "It's an ace, Knave. In case we reach a stalemate. It isn't my grand finale." With that she adjusted her hair, twisting it into an up do again. There was no time to hide now. Fight or die. She wouldn't allow herself time for madness...Or at least she would try.

**Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω**

Several tense minutes later, and despite the dire situation, she grinned upon seeing Dante again, back in his normal clothes. Less like a Prince, more like her Hunter once more. Maybe it could help her then, keep her grounded, her thoughts on the good of Wonderland...not some fantasy of a ‘Happy Ending’ with him...

"Geared up for a war. I'm only missing a steed." Was that meant to be flirtatious? Her cheeks tinted crimson all the same.

He smirked, looking around. "Do they even do the horse thing here in Wonderland? Or do they ride something crazy...like a moose?"

“Gryphons, actually.” He laughed at that. He would change his tune soon enough.

Looking to the portal, she sighed. Time to say goodbye to whatever this had been--a gentle reprise, a peaceful breath. A fantasy. She felt a fool for it, whatever it was. Things had just grown… Confusing in the short time they had spent here. Dante's hand clasped on her shoulder. "Ready?"

Alice chewed on her bottom lip. Would it be wrong if they both turned away from the portal and ran back to the room they had shared? To do what, Alice didn't couldn't even fathom. But the time she had spent with him, without the threat of death or the constant torture. It had been happy...or as close as she had been to it in a long, long time.

But work needed to be done. She nodded, feigning confidence in her decision. Her free hand shot out, her fingers gentle on his forearm. "We stay together, Dante. Neither of our battle strategies so far have ended well for us." There was a nod, an agreement…and then there was nothing more. No more stalling. No more lengthening the strength of time where her friends suffered needlessly.

She smiled sadly. A deep breath, and she leapt through the portal.

Her eyes remained shut on the other side. She didn't need to see where they were. They had made it back to the place that haunted her every thought. Hospitals and Asylums smelled the same. Like blood and ammonia and bleach and latex gloves. And just like at Rutledge, there was a constant ticking, and it wasn't the comforting tick of her Rabbit. Clocks. So many clocks, and being that this was not Rutledge, that this was Wonderland, Alice knew none of them could be relied on for the correct time. Not that it would matter when every minute felt like an eternity in these trigger-laden walls. She forced an eye open, and the urge to run was on her again. The darkness of the Asylum, it was never a comfort no matter how familiar it was.

Tiles twisted in their checkerboard pattern at her feet. Given the impression that they were sloped and lopsided in all directions and none, while both being uneven and leveled at once. The entire hall was one large optical illusion, and Alice didn't care for it in the least.The faster the could accomplish what they had come to do, the better. After the brilliant white of the Queen's castle, the asylum seemed darker than ever.

She'd had enough of deceptions.

She was relieved when Dante’s footsteps followed, his hand finding a place upon her shoulder once more. Her body slumping at the touch, even going as far as to lean into it.

She felt him nod. "You'll lead Alice. You know this place--use it as a strength, sweetheart. We're going to make it through this, together."

But Alice didn't want to be here. If there was any way she could get back to the Pale Palace from here she would take it in a heartbeat. Surely Dante didn’t feel the way she did about hospitals. Surely the thought of padded cells and pills and injections made him laugh, not cringe. And he was so strong, he could save her friends, could he not? He was so brilliant. He had managed to find her in this place before, with no guidance. Surely with a nod in the right direction, he could see to it that her friends were safe and sound. Were someone to offer her such a plan a few days ago, she would have leapt at it.

However, circumstances had changed…and perhaps, even she had changed. Alice tried to focus on her breathing. It wasn't easy, even the odd childish laughter and scream that echoed through the halls of the Asylum rang through her bones like a strike.

"J-Just need to find my friends." Alice exhaled slowly, forcing her feet to move. One foot in frontof the other. She tried not to look at the walls, or the doors...Or anything other than where her foot would go next. At one point her free hand found Dante's holding it tight, desperate to ground herself before she lost her grip again.

She retraced their steps until she found her ward again. Flames licked at the door. No surprise, Alice moved to the other side of Dante further from them. "Hatter threw me in there, but he continued on..." There was a bone chilling scream that came from the ward. A scream they both knew very well. Her own.

"The walls remember and echo...Even the mirrors can torture you." Dante was already nodding however. Of course he knew, he had traversed this hell himself. He may have already fallen prey to their tricks and traps. He squeezed her hand, regardless.

"Where would Hatter have gone Alice? We are going to need to...Contain him, in some capacity, in order to help your friends."

Hatter… Hatter… Where would he have gone? Alice pulled her gaze up, looking past the door. Blocking the flames from her mind. Further on down the hall, the medical theme only increased, even though the hall quite literally twisted itself, doors eventually ending up on the ceiling, the clock broken and upside down itself at the end of the hall. Down the other? The sounds of clanking machinery was clear… And the clinking of cups.

"Tea time..." Alice squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself forward. "They'll be in the factory then?" Alice swallowed thickly. Something had changed, and it wasn't for the better. "West wing then..." Down the hallways, pausing to let the odd wayward broken blur scuttle on by. She was struggling to remain sane herself. It was so much like Rutledge.

_“Miss Alice, Can you help fix my dress? That man hurt it…”_

_“My eye! It hurts!”_

"Angus runs Rutledge better than this...everyone is too subdued to run amok." Well that was a first. Alice paused, blinked at the comment. Subdued. What did she even mean?

“The quicker we are out of here, the better." Reaching forward, she felt his fingerless gloved hand take her free one once more, lacing his fingers with hers. Alice watched his other hand reached up to rub his chest, as if he could simply rub away something that was growing there. She could feel it rolling off of him in waves. Something was unsettled within him. She wanted to ask him, parted her lips to do so many times, but something silenced her each time, only continuing on their path until they hit the observation deck. The telltale room that they had made it into the factory.

Below them was the inner workings of the combined efforts of the Asylum and the Factory.

The mad children who ran wildly around the Asylum were strapped down onto conveyor belts. Alice gulped uneasily, and slowly moved along the pane of glass, following the path of the belt. They were subdued, injected, metal plates sealed themselves over the children.

Then Corruption was poured in. Alice winced and moved as far from the window as she could. 

"M-Mad man...I suppose he sees this as recycling....Re-purposing children who prove no use to anyone.."

_“Cut away the fat.”_

_“We’re remaking children. Build them up, tear them down, refashion them; teach them the new; forget the old.”_

"He's a sick fuck, Alice.” Alice met her own horrified, teary gaze in the faint reflection of the window before her, dirtied from years, years, without a proper cleaning. For years this had gone on…and she was simply…compliant, blind. “He's twisted, he's wrong, he's....mad. Yes, mad is the best word for describing him.”

Who were they talking about again?

Alice turned to Dante, his hand was squeezing hers so tight she almost cried out in pain. Her free hand clasped over his, reassuring words would have have been found, but another voice masked them.

"I-Is that company? Dormy wake up!"

"If it's human, it'll be useless." Alice's emerald eyes sparked in recognition, using her meager strength to guide Dante from the window of the observation room. A lab was quite literally tucked around the corner, just shy of the observation deck. A rather convenient set up, though Alice only managed a single step into the bloodied laboratory before holding back her wretches, her feet staggering back.

A familiar large mouse was strapped to a medical gurney. Its tiny arms and legs strapped down to the cold metal slab, his organs lay exposed, his skin peeled back and pinned neatly upon either side of him. As if he were in the middle of an operation, when his attending decided to leave for tea. Instead, a small dropper poised over top him, the green liquid dripped at odd intervals into the mouse's organs, causing the creature to twitch and squeak. There was a large anthropomorphic creature with the unmistakable face of a Hare. Stretched out along the wall, who was down one arm and leg, mechanical ones twitching and jerking in their place. Uselessly twitching mechanical parts, his body wired up to a crude battery.

Alice paled, dropping Dante's hand as she willed her feet to move once more, stumbling onto the tiles, slick with bodily fluids and gods know what, Alice’s feet gave way beneath her, her body clinging to the counter that stood adjacent to march Hare.

Was this the price Wonderland was to pay for her negligence?

"No… Oh Dormy… March Hare... Oh what have I done to you?" She heard Dante enter the room behind her, sparing no words to either creature. He approached Dormy first, looking to the machine dripping liquid into its organs. It had the ability to swing around the room, probably so that it could reach multiple gurneys if they were lined up. Reaching up, he pushed the machine away until it hit the opposite wall, far away from anyone in the room. Then he began the meticulous task of closing Dormy up with a crude set of clamps while he freed his limbs.

Alice wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to ask of him where he learned such things.

While Dante freed Dormy, Alice pushed off the counter and set herself to free March Hare, hopping over a table in order to get to him. "Oh Hare, how could Hatter do this to you...we were his friends...how could I let him do this to you…you were my friends." The Hare sputtered and hissed, a mechanical leg twitching.

"I-It isn't him Alice. The Red Queen has seen to it his brain is like clock-work. Six o'clock his raging begins. We've all been affected Alice...even you."

"Is that true March?" The mouse whimpered, not seeming to realize their situation. "I wish to go home then...we've worn out our welcome." Alice tried to blink away the tears in her eyes, her heart breaking for the mutilated bodies of her friends.

"I have heard of animal testing, but this is outrageous." She brushed aside the comment of herself becoming drugged, compliant to the Red Queen as they were. It was just the pain talking . She was different… She would be different.. She leaned up against March Hare, working to free him from the contraption.

"A-Alice no! The charges are set to go off--" The battery surged to life, sending a current through the Hare and to his mechanical limbs. Unfortunately for Alice she wasn’t in school quite long enough to learn that she herself would be made a part of this circuit, until the volts sending her crumpling to the floor.


	19. Dante

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll interested in excuses as to why I can't keep up a decent schedule? Yeah. Me Neither.
> 
> Hopefully this chapter makes up for it! Don't forget to leave Kudos and Comments. They Remind me not to be a garbage human being and update this on a timely schedule.  
> \-----------------------

Alice was unresponsive.

The Hare was quick to panic. "N-No! It's killed her. Hatter said it would be enough to stop my heart. He made a jab about the need for my augmentations to survive." The March Hare was frantically trying to stand, though the leg simply wouldn't cooperate. It twitched and kicked out, obviously fried from the continuous shocks. His shoulder spasmed as well, making it difficult to maintain his balance. "Our Princess is dead. It's all my fault!"

Dormy sighed from his position on the table. "You cannot kill her so eaassssiiilly. She's Hatter's living doll remember?" The mouse hummed happily. "Preserve her beauty, silence her wasted potential. She's imperfect. Incomplete."

Hare cringed, using his good paw to prod at Alice's foot. "Alice... Alice wake up! It's time for tea!"

The mouse chuckled. "One good shock deserves another."

The Hare's panic wasn't helping and the mouse's drugged wisdom was grating on the Hunter’s already raw nerves. Picking Alice up in his arms, he cradled her to his chest, looking around for a better option. There wasn't one.

Sighing, he laid her on an empty gurney before picking up the Hare and setting him next to Alice. "Do you have more friends here? More people that we need to take back to the White Queen? If not, we are leaving. Now." As much as he knew he needed to find Hatter, it was more important that he take care of Alice. Already she was hurt. Was she not safe in his care? Was he incapable of keeping her in her prime?

Hare was quick to dissolve, fighting to bring himself closer to Alice and weeping over the fact it was his torture that had sent Alice into her unresponsive state. Dormy just didn't seem to care, humming 'twinkle-twinkle little star' while they his companion panicked.

"Gryphon is about...in the next room?" Dormy sighed and reached its paws above his head to grab at... Absolutely nothing. There was a reason why there was an Asylum so close by.

Hare perked at the name and nodded. "Gryphon. In a steel cage in the room down the hall." He forced his twitching arm to point to the door in the far corner.

Dante nodded, blue eyes shifting to the door Hare pointed to. "Gryphon. Great. Got it. Uh...stay here and don't touch anything, okay? I'll be back." He’d thought Alice had been joking about Wonderland prancing about on Gryphons. Clearly, nothing in this realm was a joke.

His words felt ridiculous as soon as they passed his lips. What else were the two going to do? They could hardly get up and move about freely. Still, it was as if he were helping toddlers, too upset and too crazed to do anything truly useful. Picking up Alice from the gurney, he headed towards the door. He wasn't about to leave her behind again, especially in such bizarre and incapable company.

Before reaching for the door, he shook her once more, her cheek against his chest. "C'mon sweetheart, I could really use your assistance on this one. We can sleep when we get back to the Queen. Promise." Of course, she remained unconscious, out like a light, her lips slightly parted still from the surprise of the shock. Frowning, he brushed a hair from her face and decided to continue on. He couldn’t wait for her to awaken—he needed to continue their mission, with or without her help.

With that in mind, he opened the door and stepped into the room containing their final friend. This was another large room. Red walls, high ceilings. There was nothing too blatantly torturous contained in this room. Unless the large electrical cage was considered a torture device. Barely contained within the cage was an enormous Gryphon. Head and wings of an eagle, the body of a lion, the grand creature looked as though it should have been an enemy, not an ally.

But the dosing child tucked under its wing was a sign of its alliance, her dark curls splayed out against her shoulders.

The creature tilted its head at Dante's approach, especially with the unconscious Alice in his arms. "Traveler... Do you know who you carry? You do not look like a soldier of the Red Queen..." Little Alice roused in her sleep, blinking her wide green eyes awake. "Alice do you know this man?" The child perked immediately.

"Dante! You came back!" Little Alice grinned, worming her way out from Gryphon's wing, sliding her tiny body between the electric bars, but warily slowing her steps. She seemed thoroughly confused when she made it to Dante's leg, with no ill efforts to either herself or the grown version of Alice in his arms. "She must be hurt very badly this time...Goodness, I'm clumsy when I grow up..."

The Hunter laughed, taking a knee so that he could be eye level with the much younger Alice. "It's not so much clumsiness that is your problem. It's that your heart is so big, you often get yourself hurt in trying to help save your friends. It's a very noble trait to have, love."

“Seems like a bothersome trait to me,” she huffed, smiling nevertheless. Her little dark brows furrowed as she spared a glance over her shoulder at Gryphon. “Last time I tried to get this close to her, we both were sent screaming. Why is it different now?”

“Alice had little reason to embrace her fighting spirit, with the guilt and the memories she has suffered through. Perhaps she is ready now,” he answered wisely, struggling not to stretch his wings out, lest they touch the electric bars.

“About time. I’ve been stuck here for ages,” the younger of the Alice's exclaimed, tossing her hands up in the air.

Looking at the caged creature, the Hunter’s eyes wandered over the bars, looking for any way to free the magnificent beast. There didn't exactly seem to be a door on the cage--merely bars all the way around. "How did he even get you in there? Did he shrink you first?"

Frowning, he looked at the cage more closely, watching to see how the electrical current ran on a timer, striking every other minute. "...do you think these bars will bend?"

"I'm not sure. I wouldn't put it past Hatter. He's set up these cells with impossible precision and customization."

"If only we had some one tall enough to hit the switch outside... The one by the security panel? Marked release?" Little Alice commented offhandedly, casually pointing to the set of switches on the far wall. Gryphon smirked.

"Terribly sarcastic girl isn't she?"

Dante rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out playfully at Alice. "Well, you could have mentioned that before instead of talking about yourself so much." Standing, he grinned, trying to look serious as he added, "I mean, I know you're pretty amazing Alice, but we don't have to talk about it all the time."

Heading to the set of switches, Dante shifted his partner in his arms so that he could hit the one the little girl had mentioned, grateful when the buzz of electricity died and the cage sunk into the ground, the bars swallowed by a series of holes that lined the device.

Looking over at Gryphon, he smiled. "Sometimes, the sarcasm pops out of the older one too. That's when you really have to watch out. This one throws knives at parts that knives should never get near," he muttered, shifting the girl in his arms once more to better carry her weight. 

Walking to the door he had come through, he said, "I've already got a hare and a mouse in here. We would do well to get back to the Queen. I'm sure she will be pleased to see you all."

Bending down, he pressed a kiss to the top of young Alice's head, smiling sadly at her. "You'll be out of here soon you know. I'm going to make it happen."

Grabbing the door, he held it open for the Gryphon to pass through, calling out as he did. "Cheshire? Can you get us a portal back to the Queen? Got a big group this time..."

"Chesh? Chesh!" Little Alice chirped. The weathered cat appeared at once, though did not look pleased to see so many.

"I'm unsure if my lives can be stretched out among so many. And hello, small one. Is this where you have been hiding?" The little Alice nodded, wiping at her eyes furiously. Cheshire smiled, not his usual grin, and nuzzled the child softly. "Such a brave child. You do your older self proud."

Little Alice smiled, and tearfully hugged her friend. "Take Dormy and Hare-Hare. They're hurt. Gryphon can you take Dante and...Older me?" Gryphon looked to the ceiling, a large skylight would be easily broken. The creature nodded.

"It will be a quick journey, Dante, I assure you." Gryphon nuzzled the small child, a tear escaping the giant creature. "You will fight hard until the end right?"

Little Alice nodded, rubbing at her eyes before darting over to Dante. "I still have your wallet. You might need it. I certainly have no use for paper money here."

His wallet, of course. He'd nearly forgotten that the child had it tucked in the pocket of her apron. Kneeling down, he smiled and offered up a shrug. "I don't need paper money here either. Not like there is very much in there. You keep it, Alice." He'd get a new license, replace anything necessary in the old leather wallet. Right now, it didn't feel as if he had carried a single necessary item in the damned thing to begin with. Funny, how priorities changed after a few battles in Wonderland. Shifting her older self into one arm and his lap, he wrapped his other arm around the little girl’s frame, his lips pressed to her hairline. "See ya later kid."

Grabbing the grown Alice into his arms again, he watched as Cheshire disappeared with the others before walking over to Gryphon. Lifting Alice onto the creature’s back, he arranged her so that her arms and legs fell to either side of the great creature, as if she were giving him a hug. Resting a hand along Gryphon’s neck, his smile dropped away, all hint of his usual mirth replaced by a stony expression. “I know you’ve been trapped here long enough but…I’m asking if you’d be willing to stay with us just a bit longer, Gryphon. There is something I’m leaving undone. We came here for Hatter and if I leave without even seeing him…well, let’s just say I don’t really want to bring Alice back here for a third time.”

At Gryphon’s nod of agreement, he lifted his gaze to Alice, a sad smile on his lips as he remembered joking with her earlier. "Duh...Gryphons. They ride Gryphons. Looks like you got your steed after all Alice," he murmured. Shifting his blue eyed gaze to the creature carrying his partner, he murmured, “Where will we find Hatter?”

“It’s teatime—he’ll be at the table awaiting her arrival,” Gryphon explained, his eagle-like head gesturing to a door opposite them in the hall. Dante nodded, his mouth set in a grim line. He kept a hand on Alice’s back as they walked, not wanting her balance upset.

“Stay out here,” he warned, his voice quiet. “Can you protect her, should trouble come?”

“I’ll protect her with my life,” Gryphon promised, his gaze as solemn as his words. “She is our Princess. Without her, Wonderland has no chance.”

“I’m glad you agree,” Dante murmured, brushing his fingers against Alice’s hair. “I’ll be quick—just be ready to leave as soon as I’m back.”

Pushing through the double doors, he wrinkled his nose. The scent of tea was heavy in the air and before him, a large table was set. However, only one occupant was seated—the Hatter. He was well over eight feet tall, his large top hat not included. Clearly, he’d yet to fully shrink down to his proper size after stepping upon Rabbit.

“You’re late…and you’re not invited.”

His lips twitched into a cocky grin and he shrugged, entering the space. “The best guests never are. Besides, I earned my invite here when you kidnapped our Champion.”

The man’s thin lips turned up in a sneer, his fingers wrapped around the handle of his broken teacup. “For her own good. The girl belongs in an asylum. She’s…imperfect. She believes herself fearless and yet, her list of fears is longer than the table that separates us. She listens to lies and spits them out as if they are truths. What better candidate for a padded cell?” Taking a sip from his teacup, he continued. “Here, we can provide her with the perfect mixture to even out her wild mind. Lithium to subdue her, to weaken her mind. Her memories become harder to grasp that way and her personality fades until she is a blank canvas. The mercury?” Hatter grinned. “Well, that just speeds up the process. Psychological murder. Leaves a nice little shell behind though, doesn’t it? You’ve clearly noticed—why else would you be here, fighting on her behalf? She’s a living doll, putty in a man’s arms—and what man wouldn’t want a beautifully compliant young woman such as our broken Princess?”

A growl settled low in his throat, adrenaline flowing through his veins. He would like nothing more than to run the length of the table and slice the man’s head from his shoulders so quickly that his hat wouldn’t even tilt in the process.

If he killed this man though, Alice would never forgive him. She claimed him to be her friend. Dormy and March Hare had said that Hatter was under the Red Queen’s power, that he was being manipulated.

But his words…they weren’t even fully lies. Alice was fearful of many things. She did believe the lies she was told—everything Angus had ever told her was a way to poison her mind and yet, she defended him at every turn. Was she doing the same with Hatter? Or was the man truly an innocent?

As much as he wanted to spill his blood, he couldn’t take the chance. Not if Hatter was truly under the power of the Red Queen. It wouldn’t be right…and it wouldn’t help Alice. She’d seen enough death—this would only harm her further.

And Hatter knew he held the upper hand.

“I can always allow you to keep her. You’ll find you like her better my way by far. She’s a beauty, much improved by my methods. Her tears and her constant ramblings get in the way of her true purpose. She’s at peace under my protection—she’ll make a nice bed warmer for any man. You could be in line for a night with her, young Hunter.”

And that was where he drew the line.

He was at Hatter's throat in an instant, bending the man over the table, his eyes red as he stared down at the creature underneath him. His blood was on fire, the table cracking underneath their weight as he growled out, "What is it you want Hatter? She calls you her friend and yet you treat her as if she’s crazed! As if she’s not good enough for your Wonderland.”

Hatter sputtered and gasped for air, banging on the table as he fought for a way to shake Dante. He kicked against his assailant’s stomach, pushing the Hunter far enough off of him that he could gasp for air once again. He moved so that there was a chair between them, his hands circling his own throat, likely feeling the damage. “St-Stability for Wonderland. The pathetic girl is supposed to have been our savior, yet she cares not what happens to Wonderland. When the fire happened, she considered herself to have died alongside her family. She allowed her mind to be poisoned. Angus defiled her and she took it like a common whore." He wheezed and hacked.

"Her scarred mind cannot fix the damage that he has caused. The torture she allowed has broken her. She is a lost cause. A failed experiment. This is the only way to salvage what is left." Hatter hissed and banged his fists on the table again. "Wonderland will only fall deeper into hell if she remains in that state. So I fixed it. If you cannot see that, then maybe you and the truth are not acquainted."

Dante stared at the Hatter as he ranted, his eyes shifting back to blue but remaining locked in a glare upon the man as he regained his footing. A smirk came to his lips and he shrugged, playing off the words as if they were nothing. "Maybe you're right about me. Maybe I'm just as fucked up as you because, at one point, you believed that she could do it. That she could save all of you. If you didn't, you wouldn't be so mad right now." Standing up to his full height, he tried again for mercy on Alice’s behalf. "You have to give her a chance Hatter. She's changing."

Laughter filled the grand space. Hatter's shoulders shook with the effort until he was forced to bang on the table yet again. Eventually the table finally gave way under the abuse and cracked down the middle.

"So, she's bewitched you, hasn't she? She bewitched us all. Her fierceness as a child was unmatched. I thought she would have conquered the world. Learn from my mistakes, Hunter. This woman will disappoint you at every turn. She allowed herself to be destroyed far beyond the point of saving. Now? Now she is nothing but a weakened bitch. And it seems only I have the brains enough to see it, and the strength to put her down. For the good of Wonderland."

Hatter's laughter was uncontrollable, mad just as he was rumored to be. It seemed not only Alice had been drugged with mercury. The man was clearly dipping into his own stash. "Do you think she is doing any good? Who killed Duchess? Who broke the stupid girl out of here? Who has been doing all the work while she flutters her eyes at you, crying out in her madness?"

Hatter eventually sat on the floor. He wasn't a man built for fighting, even when his mind was in tact. "She is using you, boy. And when your use is up, she will be gone. Only coming back to destroy you, if she feels even that kind.

Dante stared at the Hatter, his words sinking in. Why did any of this sound logical? Why did it make sense? What was this?

It was as if he were looking in the mirrors again, seeing the worst possible fate at every turn. Alice had told him over and over that he, and he alone, was Wonderland's champion. She had warned him not to get attached. She lured him close only to jump away in fear when he finally felt that something between them was solid.

He himself had often wondered where it was he stood with her.

His heart hardened as he remembered his dream. He hadn't been there. It had been Alice with the King and the Queen. Not him. He wasn't even present, simply witnessing the aftermath of their victory. She hadn't mentioned him being in her dream either.

Weary, annoyed, confused, and completely over the madness, he stared at the Hatter where he sat on the floor. When his spoke, his tone was dull, devoid of his usual humor and sarcasm. "Stay here, drink your tea, and laugh until you piss yourself. Wonderland is doomed unless I save it and I can't do that without her help. Even you have to admit that."

Hatter snapped his head up at his unwelcome guest. "Perhaps you have some sense after all. You would be the fucking first. I envy your strength, but learn from us. We doted on that girl and she destroyed us in return. Do not think you are safe."

Giving the Hatter a cold nod, he muttered, “Enjoy your tea.” Turning on his heel, he took his leave, his shoulders set in a tense state, his heart confused and cold in his chest. He had to get Alice back to the White Palace and Gryphon had waited long enough.

Besides—Hatter had given him far too much to think about.

"Good luck. Do try not to be completely destroyed by her,” Hatter called out after him, his words cut off at the slamming of the double doors.

Gryphon had been true to his word and had waited outside the door, Alice safe and sound on his back. Dante tried to give the creature a grateful smile but could hardly manage more than a twitch of his lips as he pulled himself up behind Alice. Wrapping a protective arm around her, he murmured, “Let’s get out of here. Can you get us to the White Palace?”

The creature had been honest when he said that the flight would be fast. Though he did not take them back to the White Castle in the blink of an eye like Cheshire could, it only took one flap of his wings before he all but cleared them from Hatter's domain.

Wonderland's landscape was already beginning to change. What used to be mostly dark and full of corruption was beginning to become clear. Though the land was lacking in color and richness, the evil was beginning the drain away. Only two more domains existed that seemed full of hate and malice. One being the rocky and lava filed wasteland Dante and Alice had traversed before, and the other being a red castle whose grounds seemed to consume most of the land.

Gryphon took great care to avoid the both of them.

What seemed a matter of minutes later, Gryphon landed in the White Courtyard. Queen Mirana was already waiting for them. "Goodness, I was hoping Chesh may have been exaggerating....." Mirana narrowed her eyes, for the first time showing her anger. "I'll fix her right up. Dante, can you bring her inside?"

Sliding from Gryphons back, Dante lifted Alice into his arms and held her tight to his chest once more before giving the flying creature a slight smile. "Thanks for getting us back so quickly. Not having to travel back the long way--it's appreciated."

Turning, he followed the Queen inside, not at all surprised when he was lead back to the room they had previously occupied. A sense of calm serenity stole over him immediately. Was it memories of before that were soothing him or simply the Queens power and presence? He didn't care either way. It was helpful, working to clear away the fog of the asylum and the poison Hatter had placed in his heart. Perhaps here, he could work out the answers to the questions that now lay heavy in his mind.

At the Queens signal, he laid Alice down amongst the mountain of pillows and stepped back to give the woman her space to work. It was time for Mirana to do what she did best--save the beautiful girl before them.

The Queen politely but promptly booted him from the room, urging him to wait in her personal parlor while she worked. He followed her orders blindly, sinking into a chair, his face in his hands. He was exhausted from this second round in the asylum and his mind was left in far worse a state than it had been in when he’d arrived. He didn’t know how to feel about anything the Hatter had said. He couldn’t debunk the lot of it…but he didn’t want to believe it either. Was Alice a poison to his mind? And if so…what was the damage to his heart?

He wasn’t alone in the parlor. Dormy and March Hare were present, as well as Knave. The Knight was working on correcting the fried circuitry in Hare’s body, helping to stop some of the painful twitching. When Mirana rejoined them hours later, all eyes were quick to turn to her. Dante’s gaze caught the sight of blood on her hands but it was the gun she held that was far more interesting. What exactly had she done to Alice?

“Knave,” Mirana asked quietly, her tone pointed. “How is it that Alice had this in her possession?”

The Knight’s expression was sheepish as he answered. "She asked for it, and she didn't bother giving me an option to refuse her. Her and that damned blade— who thought it was a good idea to give a blade to a nutter anyway?"

The Hunter wanted to strangle the Knight. He was an ass, a foolish, arrogant, ass. However, he had more pressing matters. Looking to the Queen, he asked, "Can I see her?"

The Queen’s gaze upon her Knight softened at the gently asked question and she turned her attention to Dante, nodding. “She’s awake and she asked for you. I’ve had the room next to hers set up for you. You have been through much, my Hero. You deserve a break from this insanity, when you are ready of course."

Mirana shifted to the side, to allow Dante to pass through the doorway and go to his Princess. When he arrived at her room, she was standing at the balcony doors, leaning against the doorframe. A simple white slip hugged her pale form, her shoulders slumped in what looked to be defeat.

He knocked softly on the door as he closed it, giving her a warning that she was no longer alone in her room. He had to admit, he was surprised to see her up. He thought she’d be in bed, likely asleep. The light streaming through the glass doors of the balcony created a halo against her dark locks and her beauty only served to twist the dagger in his heart.

His boots were silent across the marble floor as he approached her, his hand coming up to brush some hair from her eyes. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

Alice shifted on her feet, grasping the railing tighter as her eyes looked up to meet his own. There was pain there, a sadness that had deepened during their journey to rescue her friends. Her answer was soft. "Like I returned from the dead for the second time in as many days. And how do you fare, my Hunter?"

His hand moved to caress her cheek, an actual shudder running through his body as he thought back to where they had been mere hours ago. "I understand why you like it here. It helps to drain the evil of the asylum from your mind. I am much better after being here for awhile." Maybe not back to himself but definitely better than the state he’d left in.

Looking into those emerald eyes, he wondered if anything Hatter had warned him of was true. Would she be the end of him? Was he as under her spell as the rest of Wonderland was? Or could he trust that what he was feeling was true?

"Hatter...he has a way of wiggling into your mind, doesn't he?" He wanted to tell her everything that the man had said, to have her prove every word wrong but the idea never passed his lips. He couldn't ask anything of her. Even if she was one to comfort him, what was to say that she wanted to? And since when did he want comforting?

Alice smiled and leaned into his touch, her hand reached to keep his hand against her cheek. Turning her face slightly, she pressed a gentle kiss to his palm. "He was a strange man, even before. He has his obsessions, his need for things to be done a set way. But I do not doubt he is a victim in this was well. We all are. The Asylum brings out the dark memories, the insecurities..."

Her eyes were dark and full of worry as she met his blue gaze. "I'm sorry if you suffer Dante. I failed you again..."

Looking into those emerald depths, the Hunter felt as if he could be lost forever. Her lips against his calloused hand had undone something in him, released some tension he had felt but hadn't realized the weight of until it was gone. It was as if something was falling away, some sort of wall or barrier blocking him from the terror he'd felt at Hatter's words.

Now he was left with the truth and only the truth. She would be his undoing and he would let her do it. He would let her do anything. He would let her have everything. He didn't care if it made him mad, he didn't care if it hurt. Nothing hurt as bad as the idea of not having her in his life.

If she had bewitched him, then let her spell hold strong. There were worse ways to die.

His lips whispered against her skin, a kiss placed upon her forehead. "You haven't failed me Alice. You never fail me. As long as you come back to me, you won't fail me."

"I let Hatter take me away from you twice already. I will not let it happen a third time." Her cheeks flushed as if she suddenly remembered herself, her words stammered. "H-How is everyone fairing? Did...Did he get to you as well?"

A soft smile lifted the corners of his lips. Always putting the worries of others before herself, ever the Princess. "Everyone is fine. Knave is working to help Hare, the palace's best doctors are healing up...Dormy, I think his name was? And Gryphon will finally rest now that he has heard that you are alright. They all will. No one wanted to rest or leave the sitting room until they had heard of your condition. Your friends are more glad that you have made it through this deal alive than they are about their own living status. They are good friends."

As for the other part of her question, he was unsure of how to answer. He was changed from his experience with Hatter. He didn't want to concern her but he also didn't want to lie to her. He'd always been nothing but honest in return that she should do the same. He couldn't stop now.

His forehead rested against hers, his arms moving to wrap themselves loosely around her, pulling her body against his. "Hatter...is very good at finding someone's weakness. He takes that weakness and tries to make you lose yourself in it, to make it seem as if all else is hopeless because of this one single part of you. He is quite clever and he makes his words sound so logical, so real."

"He found my weakness. It wasn't hard...he knows her well. She’s shared tea with him on many occasions. He told me that she would destroy me, that she had bewitched me and was using me, only to crush me later. He played on the fact that I am still unsure of where I stand with her."

His lips formed a self-depreciating smile then as he admitted the truth, the weight of it leaving him as his words hung between them in the air. "I don't think he was counting on the fact that somewhere inside of me, I already knew she would be the end of me in one way or another. It's the time before the end I am still unsure about...and looking forward to."

She sniffled, lifting herself onto her very tip toes so that she could wrap her arms tight around his neck. “I could never use you Dante. Though, I know I have been less than helpful. My demons haunt me at every turn and it's weakened me so. If not for you, I wouldn't have taken any of these steps. I know I would not be wrong in calling you Wonderland's Champion, you are more than capable and certainly not as broken as I am..."

A smile turned up the corners of her pink lips as she continued. "You are my dearest Hunter and... my partner. My friend. I could never put you through any pain just as I could not put the others through such things..." Her lips found his cheek, caressing it with a kiss. "I simply care for you too much."

It was all too much and not enough. Her words were both a salve and a poison to his heart. He believed her. She would never do anything to intentionally harm him or put him in danger.

She wouldn't ever be more than his friend, his Champion, his Princess, his partner-- and he would never be able to kill the feelings he had for her. He would be her Hunter, protecting her always.

He had made a vow to himself however, not to let another chance slip by and he meant to make good on it.

He sealed his own fate as his hands cupped her face and his lips met hers.


	20. Alice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who is updating! And it didn't take... More than a month to do it! Whoo-hoo!
> 
> Anywho, without further ado, here ya go~! Don't forget to comment! I love feedback!  
> \----------------------------

It was the another shock to the heart. Like she had made that near fatal mistake again and connected herself with that damned battery. But instead of a blindingly hot pain that accompanied the electrical shock, this went in the opposite direction entirely. Her heart didn't know how to react, simply feeling as though it no longer knew how to beat, her lungs unsure how to breathe with his lips over hers.

She had felt lips upon hers. Too many, if she listened the darkened wisps of her mind. But should she dare to travel down that particularly dark memory lane. This was far from her first…

But it was the first that mattered. What was once a battered and broken body was shocked into paralysis, but she dared not push him away. Her lips unsure how to move against his, but damned if she was going to part from him. He was good. He wasn’t a shiny lie. He was a mercenary with a foul mouth, reeking of cigarettes and every bit like a remarkably well kept tavern… But he saw something in her. In broken little Alice…even if it was just a pair of lips.

The spell finally broke, and her body felt free to move, even as she continued to press against Dante’s rugged form. Her fingers buried themselves into his hair, keeping their lips fused together until she gained enough of her wits to respond full-heartedly. Her eyes fluttered closed, her grip on him tightened. Her heart, Gods it was fluttering like a hummingbird in her chest. And against those warm, full lips--Softer than she what she would have expected, Alice found her breath lost to him. But she didn't care if she never took another breath again. Certainly there were worse ways to die.

A tear cut down her cheek. Through the fluttering and the warmth and those warm lips moving against hers, she knew this moment was fleeting. Lord knows it might not even be real. If they won, when she was released from Wonderland...she would never see him again. Her fate was sealed within Rutledge.

But she could be selfish for once. Of all the things she suffered for, she could enjoy this.

Nothing else had to matter, and for once she didn't have to, not even if she lived another second. As long as he kept his lips against hers, she could die a happy.

His arms were right around her, tight enough to secure her, but never enough to bind her, only molding her small body to his, lifting her so that her bare toes dangled against his boots. Was she not preoccupied against his lips, memorizing their feel and taste, she would have dared to giggle.

He must have sensed the dire need in her body for air--It sure as well wasn’t she who dared to break the contact between them. How was the air so cold around them?! Alice curled herself against him, their foreheads brushed together. It was like she had been soaring, just because of a kiss. Her heart seemed to remember its purpose, hammering away in her chest to make up for the moments it was stilled by the affection.

She was breathless and speechless, a soft cry leaving her lips as he pulled away, just barely enough to disconnect their lips so he could speak. At least while one of them had the ability to. If he hadn't been holding her she surely would have met the floor by now...or the ceiling.

Dante pulled back just far enough to break the kiss, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke, his voice a jagged whisper. "I had to tell you the whole truth. You are everything Alice. Without you, I am a shell of a man."

"I...but Dante..." What did he mean by that? Had Dante mastered Wonderland-speak already? This was backwards! This was nonsense! Her gaze narrowed. “But I…” Didn’t he see? Didn’t he feel it? With the warmth that was in his own kiss, surely hers was cold and hollow by comparison--Even if her skin felt as though it were about to sizzle at his touch. She was everything?! Had he hit his head? Was the lack of oxygen getting to him? "I have so little to offer you...I only have my heart, but it is yours..."

And a for a moment, Dante merely stared at her, probably much in the way she gazed up at him. The lack of oxygen, the soaring hearts and racing pulses had left them both in a sorry state. Strange words hung in the air between them, dire words, deep words… and yet a smile remained upon both their lips. That crooked smile nestled against her trembling lips as he spoke. "I don't deserve your heart Alice. A man who would make a good Prince of Wonderland does. If you are truly offering this to me, I have to warn you. I'm a selfish man. I won't let anyone else have that heart of yours." Leaning closer, his nose traced along her skin, drawing a line of searing heat as he pressed a kiss to the delicate skin of her neck, her heartbeat must have been humming against his lips. "I would vow to protect it with my life."

Well, for once she wasn't crying out of madness or sorrow. The tears fell fast and Alice could not give a good reason why. She had never cried out of happiness before. She wasn't sure she was capable of it. Maybe they were tears of relief? Alice knew not.

She was already holding him as tight as she could manage, her slender body protected by his solid form. His lips met her neck gently and another wave of warmth shot through her senses. It was as if her dream was becoming a reality before her eyes. Her friends were safe, they were all set to be happy once again. She had found her Prince, even if it would only be a temporary bliss. Even if she awoke in Rutledge with this having been nothing but a dream. She would be happy with this. These memories, the feeling of him against her.

"I dreamed of you, My Prince. Wonderland was healed and we both were happy...together." She pulled herself away from him, just barely enough for her emerald eyes to gaze into his. She wanted to see him just as she had in that dream. With that crooked grin near splitting his face, and a lightness in those cerulean orbs. White lace dripping over her forms--void of scars and red lines and no longer with bones poking at alabaster skin. Where Wonderland was made whole, and real and Gods, blindingly beautiful once more. In this room, she could almost believe it. Against his lips, against the gauzy curtain that showcased a garden flourishing with life once more… They were almost there. "So you can be as selfish with me as you wish. I have never wanted to be anyone else's..." She grinned through her tears, a chuckle escaping her. And wordlessly, another kiss was brushed against her lips. "So much so not getting attached..."

One kiss turned to three, then four, between kisses he laughed and smiled, pulling her higher in his arms. "And since when have either of us followed the rules, Alice?"

His lips were everywhere, on her face, her neck, the small bit of pillar bone exposed by her dress--Apparently she had opened up a hunger inside of him that couldn't ever be satisfied. But when she kisses trailed lower on her collarbone, and that warmth turned into a burn, one that coiled like a snake low in her abdomen, forcing her to angle her body away from Dante’s imposing on, her thighs pressing together, hand trembling as she pressed it against his chest.

She offered him a smile, it was shaky, and timid… But she hoped it would at least convey that it was okay… That _this_ was one… It was just new.

It was just right.

**Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω**

Alice wasn't sure how long they had stood there, his lips traveling along her skin, adding to the fire that was steadily building inside her. For a girl who had every reason to recoil away from him, for both the contact and the fire. She was blissfully submissive to his whims. This wasn't what she was forced to endure. The thoughts of such things were hazy moments, unable to touch her as long as Dante stayed by her side. He was her protector in so many ways, ways he didn't even realize.

Though she did have to bite back an angered bark to the pawn servant that interrupted them. It had the decency to knock but Alice knew what it wanted. Summoning them to dinner. As much as she wanted to stay in this room forever, her other friends deserved her attention. And she would be lying to say she didn't want to see them.

Her hand was enveloped by his own as she lead them to the dining hall again, far livelier with the newer additions. March Hare seemed particularly focused on grasping a spoon, turning it over shakily in his grip, while Queen Mirana adjusted a cumbersome length of bandages wrapped around Dormy's sides. However, the moment they entered, her gaze traveled over them, a demure smile painting her lips. "My apologies if we interrupted you." That smile broke, and Alice felt herself blush furiously. Even Chesh couldn't grin like that.

"Reminds me of my sister, in every way." She muttered low under her breath to Dante.

A laugh passed his lips as he smiled at Queen Mirana himself, squeezing her hand in his grip. "You have a knack for such things, My Queen. I'll have to return the favor someday." Ever the charmer. His thumb rubbed across her hand reassuringly, making sure he knew that it was all in jest.

Looking at the table, Alice was overjoyed to see Gryphon and the Hare sitting amongst the guests. Dormy had a special place set as sitting wasn't going to be comfortable for him for quite some time, but thanks to his size, the dining table had no problem accommodating a bed for the small mouse to reside in..

A pang of guilt twisted in her innards. This unjust suffering could have been prevented...

Dante tugged them over to sit at the King’s right hand side, and as if he could read her thoughts clear upon her face, he leaned over, his lips brushing Alice's ear as he grinned. "This is quite a reunion and it's all thanks to you, sweetheart."

Alice blushed a dark crimson, quite a contrast in comparison to her pale skin and plain white dress that hung on her frame like a tight nightgown rather than something suitable for dining with company such as this. But she had narrowly escaped death, they all had, who was about to judge her for being under-dressed? She would rather be judged for being under prepared. All of this mess…it should have been taken care of ages ago. Alice smiled despite it. Dante’s grin was infectious. "You did all the hard work. I was sleeping, remember?" More like catatonic, but no sense ruining the happy atmosphere.

That's what Knave was for.

"So, going to fess up about the Bandersnatch?" She hadn’t even noticed that he stood rigid over Dormy, across the table from her. His tone that seemingly permanently hiss. Alice gulped softly, gaze reluctant to meet the silent fury brewing in that one good hazel eye. So he was outing her? The table fell silent, eyes had turned to her again. Despite not having consumed any more in the way of potions, Alice felt herself shrink under their gazes, and shifted her chair closer to Dante.

A tender sigh echoed from the head of the table."I...was going to bring it up more delicately than that." Mirana said with a pointed stare at Knave, who cringed in his seat. Mirana’s carefully folded her hands beneath her chin, her brown eyed gaze soft when it returned to Alice, though the tender gaze did not ease the knot in her stomach. "At the risk of being a 'downer' it seems you are in need of scolding Alice.” That was about as pointed as she could get. Her brows weren’t even narrowed. “That gun is not to be used in battle."

"The wielder only gets one shot." As if this needed to be repeated. Alice swiveled in her seat, a retort on her lips, but silenced herself at the speaker. It was Gryphon who uttered the unneeded explanation (they were only doing this to out her to Dante!) The grand beast, who only just fit at the opposite end of the dining hall, stretched his wings as he tried to relax in the crowded space, his chin resting on the table itself.

That pang grew into a sickening, acidic burn, lacing itself in the pit of her stomach until it became a dense ball of guilt. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to use it. Slowly, she turned her gaze to the Hunter that sat alongside her, whose kiss was still a ghost against her lips. So much had changed since then… Dante released her hand to wrap his arm around her chair. His other hand came up to her chin, a single finger raising her gaze to meet his own. "Alice...you took a weapon that could have killed you?"

She was shocked that his tone wasn't accusatory or angry.

Yet Alice felt as if she were on trial. She knew what everyone's opinion on that particular weapon was. But Dante had been oblivious about it. She hadn't thought it would matter. That he wouldn't care if she died. Of course, things had changed between them now...

"It's my gun...it was given to me."

Knave scoffed. Apparently jumping at the opportunity to shift the blame to Alice, not to him for letting her have it in the first place. "An Unbirthday present from the Caterpillar. Takes all your life out of you with one shot. But fuck me if it doesn't annihilate your target, no matter where they are. The thing can't miss."

Alice glared. “Why not just give me a shovel…”

"The thing is an abomination! Caterpillar is off his Hookah! Alice why would you want to use it?" Hare seemed to have regained his senses, just barely. Though he seemed particularly twitchy, whether from the electro-shock therapy or the mechanics of his limbs themselves. He still couldn’t quite get a handle on that spoon.

"It was just a back-up plan…” Gods it was like one of those God awful garden parties of her youth. Save for there was no sweets table to hide under, nor Lizzie to hide behind her skirts when the probing questions aimed themselves at her. “Caterpillar wouldn't have made it for me if he thought I wouldn't have to use it." Knave rolled his eyes.

"The day Wonderland fell he sent everyone cyanide pills. ‘Our Great Oracle’ is about death before dishonor. That doesn't mean you have to leap at the grave to save us." Knave grumbled and settled back into his meal, stabbing at the pieces angrily with his fork.

He had his own way of showing his fear.

"But Caterpillar professed that it's a game changer if used correctly...It wasn't my death wish.” This could end, any time now. Everyone was staring at her, and her stomach was aching for food. Could they not browbeat her later?! “But if I needed it, it being locked up here does me no good."

"But my Princess. If you are dead, what good does that do us?"

Alice supposed even for Dante the voices at the table were getting a little overwhelming. He kept his eyes on hers, a soft but sad smile on his face. "Sweetheart, I understand game changers, I really do. You can't trade your life on the process though. There are too many people who need your help right now. Besides," He nudged at her side gently, drawing her attention to the pair of twin pistols that lay strapped in their holsters. That crooked smile was back. "If it's a gun you are after, I'll let you borrow one of mine."

That ball untightened itself in her stomach, melting at that sight of his crooked grin, blue eyes lit up at his jest. He wasn't cross. He wasn’t fed up with her actions… This man had endless patience. A soft smile grew on her lips. She nodded obediently. Much to the shock of everyone at the table. "It's just...we've never defeated...Him before."

"Hatter was always on our side. We never had a reason to fight him." Hare sighed, as another spoon went flying from his grip, his hand sent trembling on the table.

Alice shifted closer to Dante. "I meant the Jabberwocky." There was a collective flinch amongst all the inhabitants of the table. "The Black Queen never gave us much trouble. The Duchess was always easily handled. Even the Red Queen was defeated once before but...I know he's out there. He killed so many...and all the flowers."

"You mean that field of wildflowers that called you a weed? That one might have been a blessing." Knave managed before another kick was delivered under the table.

Alice caught Dante showing his Hunter side once more, his fingers twitching in want of his gun. Alice’s hand tightened on his forearm. He didn't know. Gods, he didn’t know anything. All of this fighting and running and battling and so many bouts of consciousness… She had forgotten Dante wasn’t of this world. Dante moved his arm from the back of her chair to around her shoulders, and gave her a small squeeze. He was no doubt confused why everyone seemed even more terrified of this Jabberwocky than they did of the Bandersnatch.

Turning his gaze back to hers, his expression softening, he raised a brow. "The Jabberwocky? And what exactly is that? You make it sound like more of a threat than the Red Queen."

Oh if only he knew. The very name invoked images of leathery, wings, burning yellow eyes. Thunder claps and broken mirrors. "It...he...it..." Alice both seemed to be struggling to string together a sentence about the Jabberwocky accurately, and with ducking under the table and clutching her rabbit. She glared at Knave. He was full of mouth any other time...

Knave rolled his eye and took his cue. Hoping it wouldn't earn him a bullet between his teeth.

"A being of unspeakable horror." For once no one was glaring at him, Alice seemed even thankful that he had taken the stage. He would know more than any other about the Jabberwocky, and its birth. "A champion of sorts, for Cora..." And at the series of withering looks he received, that eye rolled itself again. “The Queen of Hearts. It is a beast of her own creation…often squarely aimed at Alice.”

"I...I tried to take care of him before but..."Alice shuddered, her attention going to her plate rather than finishing her sentence.

It seemed Knave was in a giving mood today, for he picked up when her trembling took over. "If you think Hatter's domain was a mindfuck, meet the Jabberwocky. If your guilt doesn't destroy you the nightmares will."

“Ho now! I think that is enough!”

A series of small claps emitted form the regal man sitting alongside Queen Mirana. Kind silver eyes, and hair to match, his gaze was weary. He had remained silent throughout the entire discussion and, if one didn't know better, they would have thought that he was too busy dreaming of tarts and tea to be paying attention. "Knave, you are correct that the Jabberwocky is something of a concern for Wonderland. For such a beautiful world to exist, it had to have equally terrible shadows. We hope, one day, to destroy such evils and return peace and beauty to all of Wonderland." Leave it to the King to be so far removed from the danger he only saw the smaller problems at hand. Like eating. Alice relaxed visibly, but kept her seat close to Dante.

"For now however, we have a concern that comes before that nasty Jabberwock. We must take down the Red Queen first. She controls too much right now and I do believe she needs to be...put down." He seemed uncomfortable with his tame choice of words, not wanting to speak ill of any one, no matter how terrible they were. His smile returned, splitting his face as he thought of much more pleasant things. "In the meantime, we can't defeat anyone on empty stomachs! Please, everyone, dine."

"Yes. The war is at a stand still now. Now that we have all the troops assembled safely." Gryphon spoke, Alice broke into a grin of her own, her toe curling at the thought.

Everyone was safe. No need to rush now. The biggest threat was gone.

"We all need the rest. Wonderland has existed in peace without the defeat of those two before..." She smiled though a wary gaze met Knave's. Was it in them for tonight? That maybe they could pretend. Just for the sake of their sanity, they could turn a blind eye to the two empty chairs.

Knave’s chair clattered to the floor, his cape bellowing behind him as he turned sharply from the room, stiffly bowing his leave to the King and Queen, before making his hasty escape.

Alice’s heart went out to him. There was only so far one could expect him to go...

But dinner was served, mountains of food from roasted turkey and fowl to potatoes in every form and a rainbow of vegetable dishes filled the banquet hall with mouth watering aromas. Waterfalls of drink were placed before the guests. A band consisting of various creatures and unfamiliar instruments filled the grand hall, as the table was made to quite literally vanish before them, then the food was done, instead, changing into several small tables that hugged the perimeter of the room, allowing entertainment to flow in.

Alice did not know when they were able to procure so many, but jesters juggled and court clowns told crude jokes to the delight of many, even pulling March Hare into a waltz, twitchy limbs and all. They provided entertainment while everyone ate, playing out many old legends from Wonderland's history. One particularly forward performer was fond of Alice, winking at her and delivering a rose to her from between his teeth. She accepted with with flushed cheeks.

She thought she noticed Dante rolling his eyes, but no one else mentioned it.

The night began to fly by, full of laughter and smiles. And for once, Alice allowed herself to forget her troubles. Hare was smiling, even as his new mechanical leg made dancing quite the task, and Dormy looked pleased as punch to be nestled upon a table, surrounded by his favorite jelly rolls and tarts. There was not a frown on a single one in attendance here…so why should she?

Alice had forgotten what Wonderland used to be like. Her first trip had been so full of curiosity and wonder, only to be forced into some strange trial by croquet set by some bad tempered Queen, and this trip had been so...for lack of a better word, dark. Alice had forgotten that Wonderland was essential one continuous party.

No one seemed to mind reminding her though. Everyone was quick to forget their troubles, and desperate to bring some light into their lives, perhaps the first bit of fun they had all had since the fall of Wonderland itself.

At some point, Alice had reluctantly torn herself from Dante's side, if only to fuss over her friends. Dormy, though as out of it as ever, was in bright spirits given his wheelchair bound form. March was as flippant and mad as ever.

But the wine had flowed, and Alice had down several glasses during her travels to her friends before she was made aware of this. How was she to know? It was purple, it smelled a bit off--She figured it was just grape juice! She had swallowed it down just to be polite… At least for the first few glasses. But now she found herself quite fond of the stuff! Besides… She was just kissing the legal drinking age, by the United Kingdom’s standards, But in Wonderland anything went. Whatever the Princess wanted, she would get and right now, it was the fruity red drink that seemed to stop all intrusive thoughts. Alice was pleased with the reaction. She didn't want to think anymore. Not when she finally had her friends back. Which came second in her quiet demands.

Finally settling on Gryphon and Chesh she swayed uneasily on her feet, giggling at her silly missteps as she twirled the rose, before sloppily sticking it into her hair. Chesh smiled. "A drunken Princess. This might prove entertaining itself. Dear Alice how is the Red Queen not like a typhoon?"

Alice made a face, forcing her tipsy-as well as broken mind to comprehend the question. "Both are destructive...but the typhoon doesn't mean to be?"

Gryphon chuckled. "Even sauced, she might save us after all."

“I’m not sauced! I haven’t even been by the gravy boat!” Silly Gryphon…

Cheshire curled upon her shoulders. “Not quite pickled…but you are by far more Alice than you have been in years…” His grin for once was muted, softened into something far more tender, Alice slipped a free arm back around him, nuzzling along his collar. “How is it you feel, dear Alice?”

“I want to take on the world.” The Red Queen, the Jabberwocky, she could defeat them all! She would take down the Dark Kingdom as well if they stood in her way! A hiccup escaped her. “I’ll… need the floor to be leveled though, don’t you think it’s rather lopsided?”

There was Cheshire’s grin again. “I think you are shrinking, dear Alice, one side faster than the other…”

Oh no.

Alice turned in haste then, barely feeling the weight of Cheshire flying off her shoulders, nor the choir of laughter of her meager audience of her tipsy, slightly lopsided actions. All she cared for was to scan the crowd of familiar friends, struggling to spot her Hunter in red. A near squeak emitting from her when she discovered his mop of silver hair, kind blues pinning her from across the room.

The butterflies were back, a horde of them fluttering in her stomach! “Oh goodness. Careful Alice, one step at a time, if you please.” It was really that simple, she didn’t even have to navigate herself around in her usual boots… Though by all means, such a feat would be easier. Her boots always seemed to know where to go. Her legs by themselves? They were often times confused by the thought of directions and the like.

"Dante!" She had gone and called out his name louder than what was necessary. Bare feet quickly found their unsteady way to him. With his help, of course. He was much more closer than she had initially thought. He had been so far away! But within a few steps, there he was, crooked smile and soft, husky laughter dancing in her ears, making her giggle as well.

“You look as though a breeze is trying to push you down!”

“It is! Don’t you feel it? We’ll fall on the ceiling soon enough!” Alice beamed brightly, and wrapped her arms tight around him to save them both from such a fate. She had to crane her neck and stand on tiptoe atop his own boots just to plant a gentle kiss on his jaw. "It's almost fixed... I'm so happy."

"Of course it's almost fixed. I told you we would save your Wonderland, didn't I Princess?" She giggled and grinned again, swaying against him.

"I'm dizzy too...am I shrinking? Chesh said I was but I don't think I believe him."

Even if she was, she didn't mind. She would still have her Hunter, her dear Prince. She hugged him tighter, and lord help whoever tried to separate her from him. She was warm in his arms, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. She couldn't help but to be happy when even he was as pleased as he was. That crooked grin on full blast for her as he scrutinize her, placing his hand atop her head and measuring her height against her chest. "Hmm...I think Chesh is right but it might be hard to tell. You may indeed be a whole centimeter shorter. I think we are going to have to fix this immediately."

Picking her up in his arms, he held her cradled to his chest as he had so many times before, making sure that her body was fully covered by her slip. "I think it's time we right that dizziness of yours. I'm sure there is something to stop the shrinking in your room as well. Time to say goodnight to your friends, sweetheart."

For some reason, that slithering, coiling feeling was back in the bottom of her stomach…but this time, she didn’t turn away.


End file.
